Somewhere, nestled between their ideals of perfection and their fear of failure exists a world where children are thriving. A place where children accept imperfections as normal and even use challenges as an exciting chance to learn and grow. Getting there however can often feel like trying to find a mythical world.
Where to start: Ask your child if they think perfect is normal. Most people disagree with this statement but then go on to classify everything that isn’t perfect as bad, essentially living as if perfection is the normal state of being. This sets them up for a lot of anxiety when they can’t reach these unattainable standards.
Make sure to normalize life’s challenges for kids and continue to remind them that you don’t think perfect is normal and you will see their growth mindset start to take over. Mistakes are an important part of learning and the fear of making mistakes might just be what is holding your child back.
Featured image by Taylor Bryant on Unsplash.