- 18 Apr, 2024
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Embracing Grit: How Children Learn Through Trying New Things
In a world that often celebrates immediate success, the value of perseverance and resilience can sometimes get lost in the shuffle. However, for children, the process of trying new things, facing challenges, and learning from setbacks is essential for personal growth and development. This journey of discovery is where the concept of “grit” comes into play. Let’s delve into how children can cultivate grit through trying new experiences, and look at experienced educators thoughts. At Edisdera, we believe that all children can benefit from having to be outside of their comfort zone and fine tune their grit levels. Our Awards are set up so that age appropriate risk and skills can be developed. The opportunity to try new things and embrace situations that they may or may not have thought they would enjoy or be good at. At the end of the day, children need to learn that failure is not the end, but just the baseline for the beginning.
1. Embracing Challenges:
As children venture into uncharted territory, they encounter challenges that test their limits and push them out of their comfort zones. Angela Duckworth, a psychologist known for her work on grit, emphasises, “Grit is about working on something you care about so much that you’re willing to stay loyal to it. It’s doing what you love, but not just falling in love — staying in love.”
2. Learning from Failure:
Failure is an inevitable part of the learning process, but it’s how children respond to failure that shapes their character. Carol Dweck, renowned psychologist and author of ‘Mindset’, explains, “The path to excellence is rocky and often uphill, and children need to be able to face challenges and learn from their mistakes.”
3. Persevering Through Adversity:
When faced with obstacles, children who possess grit demonstrate resilience and determination to overcome them. As noted by Sir John Jones, an educator and motivational speaker, “Grit is that ‘extra something’ that separates the most successful people from the rest. It’s the passion, perseverance, and stamina that we must channel in order to stick with our dreams until they become a reality.”
4. Cultivating Resilience:
Experiencing setbacks can be disheartening, but it’s through these experiences that children learn to bounce back stronger than before. Dr. Alex Linley, a British psychologist and expert in positive psychology, emphasises, “Resilience is not just bouncing back from adversity but also finding profound meaning in difficult times.”
5. Celebrating Growth:
As children navigate the ups and downs of trying new things, it’s important to celebrate their progress and growth along the way. Dr. Carol Craig, CEO of the Centre for Confidence and Well-being, highlights, “We need to remember that effort is what ignites ability and turns it into accomplishment.”
6. Inspiring Creativity and Innovation:
Sir Ken Robinson, renowned British educator and creativity expert, emphasises the importance of embracing grit in fostering creativity and innovation. He states, “Creativity is putting your imagination to work, and it’s produced the most extraordinary results in human culture. Grit is what sustains that creativity through the inevitable challenges and setbacks.”
Encouraging Grit in Children:
As parents, educators, and mentors, we play a crucial role in nurturing grit in children. By providing opportunities for them to try new experiences, supporting them through challenges, and celebrating their perseverance, we help them develop the resilience and determination they need to thrive in all aspects of life. Rachael Wilding, the Director of Edisdera, believes by providing children and young adults with situations, opportunities, challenges and tasks that push comfort zones, children go on to develop the skill of being familiar with the unfamiliar, a critical life skill in itself, along with the opportunity to find new skills, passions and future hobbies.
In the words of Angela Duckworth, “Grit is living life like it’s a marathon, not a sprint.” Let’s empower our children to embrace challenges, learn from failures, and cultivate the grit that will carry them through life’s journey.