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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, past studies have shown that a mother’s stress levels can make it more difficult for her to bond 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. Moreover, a recent study published by Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics indicates that how a mother handles her stress can make a huge difference with respect to shielding her baby 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
Lead researchers of a study done at Boston Children’s Hospital, known as Mei Elansary?, MD, and Dana Charles McCoy, PhD, respectively, interviewed 33 mothers with 12-month-old babies and asked after their stress levels and their mindsets. Then they used electroencephalography (EEG) to measure each baby’s brain activity in order to gauge if there was a difference in those babies whose mothers experienced more stress and had a negative mindset. It was discovered that high stress in mothers can strengthen the high frequency gamma and beta waves in the brains of their babies while still lowering the quality of the brain patterns. This was associated with greater cognitive ability later on in their childhood. But this was only possible if the mother had a fixed mindset, that is, she believed that things could not change (3).
Let’s Discuss A Fixed Mindset Versus A Growth Mindset
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Most mothers with a fixed mindset assume that no matter what they do or how hard they work, their child’s ability will still stay the same. 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 abilities can be developed through hard work and effort. But they had babies who did not show any changes in the EEG. Because there were no changes, the researchers concluded that babies raised by mothers with growth mindsets were more protected against high levels of stress and its negative effect on brain development (5).
A Growth Mindset Benefits Mothers
The brain is a marvelous instrument. And with the right mindset, not only will you be able to mitigate the effects of stress on your baby’s brain function, but you will also be able to use a growth mindset to buffer your own stress. Isn’t that amazing? There was a meta study that was published in the Clinical Psychology Review that incorporated results from over 17,000 research participants in 72 studies that spanned 31 years. The researchers examined the link between a growth mindset and the effects it had on one’s mental health. They observed that a growth-oriented mindset was associated with fewer symptoms of anxiety, depression, psychological stress or even just feeling under the weather. The results implied that a growth mindset could buffer against the fallout from any negative life experiences and difficult situations that one might face (6).
如何采用成长心态
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The Boston study was the first one to trace back that mindsets had an important role to play in the development of a baby, right from infancy. Since the developing nervous system of a baby is susceptible to stress, it’s never too early to encourage mothers to have a growth mindset in order to ensure that the child’s neurodevelopment is optimized as well as protected. Some mothers opt to work with a therapist in order to shift negative thinking 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 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!
