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Praise effort over success.
learning the material necessary to do the problems. Conversely, children with fixed mindsets were more likely to cheat if given a test on the hard material in the future because they only valued the right answer, not the learning process.
This information alone was enough to improve their grades, but students in the control group, who had no knowledge about neuron growth, experienced plummeting grades. Dweck even cites a kindergarten class in Harlem, where students entered the school year not knowing how to hold a pencil correctly but, after a full academic year in a growth mindset-centered classroom, tested in the 95th percentile on their national standardized test. What differentiates people who go on to achieve at high levels in all fields? It’s their willingness to work hard and exercise what Duckworth calls “grit” in sticking to their goals and dreams. Researchers like Dweck have the proof. To turn your home into a growth mindset hotbed, make sure you are modeling the characteristics of a growth mindset yourself. Praise your child for their efforts, strategy deployment, and perseverance. And if you see your child giving up too easily, remember this: Grittiness is a skill, and like any skill, it can be learned. Get “gritty” yourself, and don’t give up!
Children, like adults, need feedback and praise, but our instinct is often to focus on celebrating their successful completion of a task rather than their effort. That’s a dangerous trap. In her studies, Dweck found that when a computerized math game was tweaked to reward effort, strategy use, and perseverance more than simply giving the right answer, children played longer and went further in the game. In a different study, when first graders who demonstrated growth mindsets were given problems that were slightly too hard to complete, they expressed excitement about
Teach a growth mindset.
The good news is that a growth mindset can be taught. While modeling and providing consistent reinforcement are essential, you should also teach your kids that obtaining skills through hard work and effort is crucial. In one study, students learned about new, stronger neural connections that formed every time they pushed beyond their comfort zone.
The human brain is an incredibly powerful organ. It solves complex problems, recalls forgottenmemories, and triggers a dizzying array of emotions. But its most incredible power is the effect it can have on the rest of the body. When it comes to love, well, our brains certainly love it, and our bodies reflect that. Less Stress Human beings thrive on a sense of connection and belonging, and studies have shown that love actually has positive effects on a person’s physical health as well as mental. The security and commitment felt in a loving relationship are shown to reduce stress by stunting the production of cortisol, the body’s stress-inducing hormone. Less stress means lower blood pressure, a healthier heart, and a lower risk of stroke, especially inmen. Healthier Immune Systems Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University found that calm, happy people can fight common colds and the flumore easily than those who are anxious or depressed. The physical benefits of love even go as far as healing wounds quicker. Small injuries inflicted on a wide test group at Ohio State University CAN YOU FEEL THE LOVE? The Secret to Living a Longer, Healthier Life
Medical Center healed nearly twice as fast on people who experienced consistent warmth and care than those who experienced hostility. In fact, the latter group needed almost a full additional day to achieve the same amount of healing as the first group. Longer, Happier Lives Being surrounded by love may even save your life. A statistic from the National Health Interview Survey states that single people face a 58% higher risk of mortality. Further bolstering that claim is the Harvard Health Blog, which claims happily married participants experience better health as they age when compared to peers in unhappy partnerships. In fact, the blog asserts,“People in stressful, unhappy marriages may be worse off than a single person who is surrounded by supportive and caring friends, family, and loved ones.” So, it seems the results are in: Loving someone is a healthy lifestyle choice. Even having a strong network of friends and family boosts your odds of living a long life by 50%. So, get out there andmake the healthy choice for yourself and those around you by leading a life full of love.
2 • www.TyWilsonLaw.com
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