Growth Mindset and the Danish Way of Parenting Book Review
I don’t know much about Denmark and it’s “happiest people in the world” reputation.
This lack of knowledge drew me to a book called The Danish Way of Parenting by Jessica Joelle Alexander and Iben Dissing Sandahl.
This book outlines six key principles or keys to raising resilient and happy kids.
Play
Authenticity
Reframing
Empathy
No ultimatum
Togetherness
These are the cornerstones of Danish parenting. It emphasizes the growth mindset philosophy. Growth mindset = the pursuit of knowledge and mastery as the goal. The opposite of growth mindset is the pursuit of the prize. e. g. The grade, the college admission, the trophy. This way of thinking causes great anxiety when the prize is not attained. A growth mindset in children can unleash their creativity and joy in the learning process. I believe that a growth mindset is a key to growing resilient children who can deal with setbacks.
One point made in the book is one of my favorites. They say read, read, read with your child. Read things that are comfortable and not comfortable. Help children process all emotions. This adds to the development of self.
I think that there were some very good parenting concepts and examples in this book and recommend it for anyone who wants to head off stress and anxiety in their kids. Just taking one or two points from a book is a win for your family.