We’re all taught as children that ‘failure is a rehearsal for success’ and how important it is to not be discouraged if we initially find some goals difficult to achieve.  As adults, we know the value of perseverance and admire those who have grit and determination.  But how do we pass this on to our children?

Here are some tips from Dr Angela Mattke, a paediatrician at the Mayo Clinic Children’s Centre, aimed at helping children learn to try and try again:

• Make sure your child knows that the process of learning a skill can be as important as the skill itself, and that failure isn’t something to be feared or avoided.
• Help your child see failure as a natural byproduct of learning and experimenting with new things.
• Acknowledge when a situation stinks. Let your child know that it’s OK to be disappointed or upset.
• Encourage your child to think about how to deal with the loss or how to get better.
• Share stories about times that you failed and what you learned from the experiences.
• Let your child see you try new things, even if it’s something you’re not good at.

Image supplied by Freepik.