Mindsets
- audriechad
- May 30
- 3 min read
Updated: Jun 1
Building Your Child's Toolkit
How our kids explain Mindsets:
A mindset is the way your brain talks to you and usually becomes most impactful when things get hard. A fixed mindset says "I can't do this" — and stops there. A growth mindset says "I can't do this yet" — and keeps going. Learning to notice which voice is talking is the first step to changing it.
How this supports your child?
The way a child thinks about challenges shapes everything — how they handle frustration, how they respond to mistakes, and whether they believe they're capable of growing. A fixed mindset keeps kids stuck; a growth mindset opens doors. When children learn to recognize unhelpful thinking patterns and replace them with flexible, forward-moving ones, they become more resilient, more willing to try, and more confident in who they are.
How does it help?
Mindset isn't just a buzzword — it's a skill that can be practiced and strengthened. In class, your child worked through real frustration, navigated unexpected challenges, and practised reframing the thoughts that tell them to give up. They learned that the brain is flexible, that mistakes are part of growing, and that "I can't do this yet" is one of the most powerful things they can say. (See how mindset connects to bouncing back in our Bounce Back block!)
Practice Growth Mindset at Home with Your Child!
In the Kids Signature class, your child experienced what it feels like to hit a wall — and push through it. Here are ways to keep that momentum going at home.
Ways to nurture a growth mindset:
Catch the fixed mindset voice — When you hear "I'm so bad at this" or "I'll never get it," name it together: "That sounds like a fixed mindset thought — what could we say instead?"
Add the word "yet" — It's small but powerful. "I can't do this" becomes "I can't do this yet"
Talk about thinking traps — Ask your child if they recognize patterns like catastrophizing ("Everything is ruined!") or all-or-nothing thinking ("If I'm not perfect, I failed") — and how to "trap the trap"
Celebrate the struggle — When something is hard, say: "This is your brain growing right now." Normalize difficulty as part of the process
Share your own fixed mindset moments — Tell your child about a time you wanted to give up and what you told yourself instead
Reframe mistakes out loud — "That didn't work — what did we learn?" turns a frustrating moment into a growth one
Ask growth questions — "What's one thing you tried today that was hard?" or "What would you do differently next time?" keeps the growth mindset muscle active
Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Dr. Carol S. Dweck
Stanford psychologist Dr. Carol Dweck introduced the world to the concept of fixed versus growth mindsets — and the research behind why believing your abilities can grow makes all the difference. While written for adults, it's a foundational read for any parent who wants to understand the thinking behind one of the core skillswhat their child is learning at My Outlet, and how to reinforce it at home.
How to Shift from Fixed to Growth Mindset
Hear from Audrie and Ilana, Kids Signature Program’s social worker, as they explore how to actively shift your thinking from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset — and what that actually looks like in real life. They also speak to the people around the child: if you're a parent or a friend watching someone work hard to change their thinking, this conversation is for you too.
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