14 Conversation Starters to Encourage a Growth Mindset in Your Kids

Fun conversations are a great way to encourage a growth mindset in your kids. The right questions, asked in the right way, can really help your children to open up, reflect and share their feelings. 

But it’s critical for parents and child-carers to listen. Really listen. 

Kids thrive on quality attention. And when they have the chance to express themselves without interruption, they gain a better understanding of their challenges. What’s more, they gain insight into how they can tackle their challenges when they talk about them with a caring adult. 

It helps, of course, to have some positive growth mindset activities up your sleeves. That’s why we’ve compiled this handy list of growth mindset conversation starters for you to use. 

  1. What was the most difficult thing you did today? Why was it so hard?

  2. Did you have to think really, really hard about anything today? What was it?

  3. Was there a moment today when you tried really, really hard?

  4. Did you try anything completely new today?

  5. Did you feel frustrated (or stuck) today? Why?

  6. Did you feel scared/disappointed/angry about anything today? Why?

  7. What were the kindest words someone said to you today? How did you respond?

  8. What was the meanest thing someone said to you today? How did you respond? Could you have responded differently?

  9. What were the kindest words YOU said to someone today?

  10. What was the meanest thing YOU said to someone today? Why?

  11. Did you make any mistakes today? What were they? What did you learn?

  12. Will you do anything in a different way tomorrow? What? How?

  13. What do you worry about most every day? What would help you to worry less?

  14. Is there something you’d like to be better at? What could you do to make that happen? 

You’ll be surprised at what your children tell you and how this brings you closer together. 

Just remember to be encouraging and supportive when they talk about moments in which they showed persistence, perseverance, kindness and grit. 

This will help enormously in raising a child with a growth mindset. Happy chatting!

Previous
Previous

4 Common Misconceptions About Growth Mindset Theory

Next
Next

Helping Your Anxious Child With A Growth Mindset