Today is rung 4 of 7 on this topic
Trying when it's hard, and being wrong safely
Can do: Attempts something difficult, gets it wrong, and carries on without collapsing.
Why it matters
Grade 1 is often the first time a child meets work they can't do instantly. How that feels sets their relationship with difficulty for years.
What it looks like when it's wobbly
Rubs out constantly, refuses to start anything they might get wrong, or says "I'm just bad at maths" at six years old.
⏱️ Two-minute check
Give them something a bit too hard and watch the first thirty seconds.
Solid looks like: They try something. Frustration is fine; refusal to attempt is the flag.
The full activity for this topic · 5 minutes
The Mistake Jar
- 1Every family member writes down one mistake they made today and posts it in the jar.
- 2Read a few at dinner. Adults go first, and adult mistakes must be real ones.
- 3For each, say what it taught you. That sentence is the whole exercise.
- 4When they're stuck on homework, say "not yet" instead of "wrong".
- 5Praise the strategy they used, never how clever they are.
If it's too hard
Just model it yourself out loud for a week before asking them to join in.
If it's too easy
Let them deliberately pick the harder option in a game or a worksheet and talk about how it felt.
Say this
"You can't do it *yet*. That's what practice is for — and mistakes are how the brain grows."