How A Mother’s Mindset Can Influence Her Child’s Development
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We all know that the real boss at home is mom. She’s usually the one who knows everyone’s schedule, is on top of a long list of chores and keeps the household running. A mother’s role is similarly vital in terms of influencing the development of her child from an early age. But it is also a stressful one. Taking responsibility for the upkeep of the house, financial stability and the wellbeing of children can be a lot on someone’s plate, and juggling all these tasks can get overwhelming and frustrating and this can rub off on the kids as well. In fact, previous studies have shown that the stress experienced by the mother can create challenges when bonding with her baby and inhibit her ability to feel connected to them (1). This in turn can cause negative effects in terms of the baby’s brain development.
However, some mothers find it easier to manage stress than others can. Another study indicates that a mother’s stress management strategies can make a huge difference with respect to shielding her child from the consequences of the stress she may be experiencing (2). This is why working on your mindset as a mother is so important. Here in this article we’ll discuss how your mindset matters and how to adopt a more positive one! Read on to know more.
How Mindset Matters
A study conducted at the Boston Children’s Hospital showed that a mother’s high stress levels can strengthen the high-frequency beta and gamma waves in their babies’ brains while still lowering the quality of the brain patterns. This was associated with higher cognitive development later on in their childhood. But this was only possible provided the mother had a steady and fixed mindset, that is, she believed that things could not change (3).
Let’s Discuss A Fixed Mindset Versus A Growth Mindset
Most mothers with a fixed mindset assume that their child’s ability will still stay the same regardless of their actions and movement. They don’t see any point in pushing their child to excel and generally have a laid-back attitude (4). But a stressed mother with a growth mindset is a completely different story! They believe that their child’s abilities can be fostered through diligent effort and hard work. But their babies exhibited no changes. Hence, it was concluded that children raised by stressed mothers with growth type mindsets were shielded against high stress levels and its negative impact on the development of the brain (5).
A Growth Mindset Benefits Mothers
The brain is a marvelous instrument. And with the right mindset, not only will you be able to reduce the effects of stress on the brain function of your baby, but you will also be able to use a growth mindset to buffer your own stress. Isn’t that amazing? A meta-study attempted to examine the association between a growth mindset and the effects it had on one’s mental well-being. The results showed that the growth mindset was associated with fewer symptoms of depression, anxiety, and other types of psychological stress or even just feeling under the weather. The results implied that a growth mindset cushions one against negative life experiences and difficult situations that one might face (6).
How To Adopt A Growth Mindset
As the baby’s developing nervous system is vulnerable to stress, it is ideal for mothers to adopt a growth mindset in order to ensure that the child’s neurodevelopment is optimized as well as protected. Some mothers may opt to work with a professional therapist in order to restructure their negative thought patterns and practice gratitude instead. But you can also do this by being mindful of your own needs and taking the support of those around you. Remember, instilling the same growth-oriented mindset in your kids will lead to them building confidence and embracing new challenges, just like you!
No one ever said having kids was going to be easy. But they did omit how hard things were going to be from time to time. But with the right mindset and a little help, you and your baby will be able to manage stress better and in healthy ways!
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