To help your child become an autonomous and resilient learner:
Help him develop a more positive attitude about himself and the world around him.
Research across many scientific fields has linked positivity to improved health, higher rates of success and increased happiness. It can also lead to a higher degree of openness to new experiences as well as a good attitude toward critical feedback.
In their book Micro-Resilience, Bonnie St. John and Allen P. Haines explain how we can actually increase the number of positive emotions we feel each day by purposefully choosing thoughts and creating habits that support positivity. Below are some of the practical tips they provide for “reframing our attitude” from negative to positive, so that we can respond more effectively to what life throws our way.
- When you experience an unpleasant situation: Instead of assuming the worst and reacting impulsively, take the time to de-escalate your emotions and to challenge your beliefs about the motivations behind the situation. This will allow you to react much more rationally.
- When you confront an obstacle: Instead of believing that you can’t overcome it, see what happens if you start believing the very opposite. This will help you think more optimistically about the problem and increase your chances of succeeding.
- When you are feeling pessimistic about yourself or your chances of success: Develop a growth mindset, by reframing problems as challenges and failures as learning opportunities.
Give these techniques a try. You are your child’s – and your own – best coach!