# Growth-mindset and grit messaging

**Should we teach growth mindset and grit?**

A growth mindset is the idea that abilities grow with effort and practice; grit is sticking with long-term goals. This is about whether those ideas become part of how your family talks about school and effort.

In short: Parents choose between 3 main approaches: Central family language; Used occasionally; Not a focus. Evidence: experts disagree. Credible bodies or researchers disagree — decide whose guidance you'll weigh. Best settled: school age.

- Area: School and academics
- Evidence: Experts disagree
- Best settled: School age
- First published: 2026-10-03
- Last updated: 2026-10-05
- Page: https://www.raisingyourchild.com/topics/school-and-academics--growth-mindset-and-grit-messaging

## Growth-mindset and grit messaging: what are the options?

1. **Central family language**: You talk often about ability growing with effort and about sticking with hard things.
2. **Used occasionally**: You bring these ideas up now and then.
3. **Not a focus**: You do not stress these ideas.

## Growth-mindset and grit messaging: what does the evidence say?

**Experts disagree.** Credible bodies or researchers disagree — decide whose guidance you'll weigh.

A national experiment found gains for lower achievers; the best-designed studies average near zero

Sources:

- [Yeager et al.](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/335029154_A_national_experiment_reveals_where_a_growth_mindset_improves_achievement)
- [Macnamara & Burgoyne](https://artscimedia.case.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/141/2020/06/26110416/Macnamara-Burgoyne-2023.pdf)

## What else is worth knowing?

Growth mindset is the idea, from psychologist Carol Dweck, that ability grows with effort. Grit, from Angela Duckworth, means sticking with long-term goals. Large studies find the benefits are real but small.

## Questions to ask each other

- What did we hear about effort and talent growing up?
- What do we want our child to believe about trying?
- How do we praise effort without pressure?

---

General information, not medical advice. Two parents can each answer this and compare: https://www.raisingyourchild.com/explore?cat=school-and-academics&topic=school-and-academics--growth-mindset-and-grit-messaging