can find themselves praising their child’s ability—and neglecting to focus on their child’s learning process. It can be hard to shake the idea that telling kids they’re smart will build their confidence. Second, it’s the way adults respond to children’s mistakes or failures. When a child has a setback and the parent reacts with anxiety or with concern about the child’s ability, this fosters more of a fixed mindset in the child. The parent may try to gloss over the child’s failure but the very act of doing so may convey that the failure is an issue. So, although parents may hold a growth
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