21 Quotes on Raising Kids with Grit
Want to raise kids with grit? The mindset to weather difficulties—the passion and perseverance to push through challenges to achieve long–term goals.
Check out the short Ted Talk by Angela Duckworth, Ph.D., below to learn more about grit and its importance.
Grittiness is one of the most significant predictors of success—more than talent and I.Q. combined. And today, we know a little more about how to help kids develop it.
Below are twenty-one quotes illustrating how to raise kids with grit.
Quotes on Raising Kids with Grit
Quote 1: My father didn’t tell me how to live; he lived and let me watch him do it. – Clarence Budington Kelland
Kids don’t learn grit through lectures—they learn it by watching how you respond to challenges. If they see you keep going when things get tough, they learn that perseverance is normal—not something special or rare. They model their mindset after yours.
Quote 2: The attitude you have as a parent is what your kids will learn. They don’t remember what you try to teach them. They remember who you are. – Inspired by Jim Henson
You don’t need the perfect words. Your tone, your reactions, your effort—all of that teaches your kids how to handle life. If you stay calm during stress or keep trying after a failure, your kids pick up on that. Grit is caught, not taught.
Quote 3: Children have this way of becoming who we tell them they are. If we tell them they are strong, they become strong. If we tell them they are kind, they become kind. If we tell them they are capable, they become capable. Speak life into your kids, so they will have what it takes to tackle their own life one day. – Amy Weatherly
A child’s sense of identity forms early, and it shapes what they believe they can handle. If you consistently speak strength and capability into them, they begin to believe they can face difficulty. Kids who see themselves as capable are more likely to persist through setbacks.
Quote 4: My teacher once told me, “You’re going to do big things.” It made me feel 10 feet tall. I’ve remembered his words during the darkest lows and the highest highs. I always knew he believed in me—and that helped me believe in myself. Never underestimate the power of words. – Leslie Means
Encouragement doesn’t just boost confidence—it builds a child’s narrative about who they are. One meaningful comment can echo in a child’s mind for years, especially during hard times. That belief becomes a foundation for grit.
Quote 5: Don’t tell your kids, “I’m proud of you,” tell them, “You should be proud of yourself.” – Kristen Welch
If a child only works for adult approval, they’ll stop trying when no one’s watching. But if they learn to feel pride in their own effort, they develop the inner motivation that keeps them going—even when it’s hard and no one’s clapping.
Quote 6: Don’t waste a lot of time and money pushing kids in directions they don’t want to go. Instead, find out what weirdness they excel at and encourage them to do that. Then get out of the way. – Seth Godin
Passion drives perseverance. When kids are forced down a path that doesn’t fit, they resist. But if they’re encouraged to pursue what they love, they’ll stick with it through struggle. Grit is more likely to grow where there’s natural interest.
Quote 7: Instead of focusing on making your child’s life easier, help them recognize they are capable of handling hard things. – @dr.siggie
It’s natural to want to protect your child from struggle, but doing so sends the message they can’t handle it. When kids are trusted to face hard things—with your support—they learn to believe in their own strength, which builds resilience.
Quote 8: Self-esteem can’t be given or received. It’s developed through a sense of capability and the self-confidence gained from dealing with disappointments, solving problems, and having lots of opportunities to learn from mistakes. – Inspired by Jane Nelson
Real confidence doesn’t come from praise—it comes from doing. Each time a child faces something hard, learns from a mistake, or bounces back from disappointment, they gain proof they can handle life. That’s how grit and self-esteem grow.
Quote 9: If we’re not preparing our kids for the small challenges while they are young, how will they ever be prepared for the larger challenges and losses we all face as adults? – Brandon & Pace Verner
Struggles in childhood aren’t just bumps in the road—they’re training grounds. When kids are allowed to work through minor issues now, they build the emotional muscles they’ll need to handle bigger ones later. Grit grows in layers.
Quote 10: If parents want to give their children a gift, the best thing they can do is to teach them to love challenges, be intrigued by mistakes, enjoy effort, and keep on learning. That way, their children don’t have to be slaves to praise. They will have a lifelong way to build and repair their own confidence. – Carol Dweck
Kids who are obsessed with praise often avoid challenges—because failure feels like the end. But if we teach them that effort matters most, they’ll start to value learning over looking good. That shift is at the heart of grit.
Quote 11: By loving them for more than their abilities, we show our children that they are much more than the sum of their accomplishments. – Eileen Kennedy-Moore
When kids feel valued only for their accomplishments, failure becomes terrifying. But if they know they’re loved no matter what, they’re more likely to take risks, try again, and keep growing. That emotional safety is key to building grit.
Quote 12: When we give them permission to fail, we give them permission to be brave. – Karen Young
Kids can’t be brave if they’re afraid of disappointing you. But when you normalize failure, you give them the freedom to take risks. Grit isn’t about never falling—it’s about learning to get back up without shame.
Quote 13: When we shield children from failure or choreograph success for them, we’re distorting the experiences they need in order to grow. – Madeline Levine, Ph.D.
Struggle is how kids develop coping skills. When we step in too often, we deny them the practice they need to manage stress, problem-solve, and build confidence. Protecting them from all hardship actually makes them more fragile.
Quote 14: Let them fail. Life is not always going to be kind, and they won’t always reach their goals or achieve what they want but learning how to deal with these failures is a critical life lesson. They have to develop the internal drive and grit to not let these setbacks permanently undermine them. When they fail but then dust themselves off and get back up to face their next challenge, it helps them recognize their own strength and resilience. – Parenting Teens & Tweens
Failure teaches grit, but only if kids experience it firsthand. When they learn they can survive disappointment, it builds strength and a sense of control. Each time they rise again, they become more resilient.
Quote 15: Teach your kids that: Success is not final; failure is not fatal; it’s the courage to continue that counts. – Winston A. Churchill
Grit isn’t about one big win—it’s about staying the course. Kids need to know that setbacks don’t define them and success isn’t a finish line. What really matters is showing up again tomorrow.
Quote 16: Got a 2.4 GPA my first semester in college. Thought maybe I wasn’t cut out for engineering. Today, I’ve landed two spacecrafts on Mars and am designing one for the moon. STEM is hard for everyone. Grades ultimately aren’t what matters. Curiosity and persistence matter. – Ben Cichy
Early struggles don’t mean kids aren’t cut out for something. Grit means sticking with a goal despite early failure. What predicts long-term success isn’t talent—it’s determination and a willingness to keep learning.
Quote 17: It is not what you do for your children but what you have taught them to do for themselves that will make them successful human beings. – Ann Landers
Doing things for your child might help today—but teaching them to do it themselves builds long-term grit. Kids feel more capable when they can take ownership of their world, one step at a time.
Quote 18: Most of us will perform best at any job or role when we are entrusted with it rather than over-managed, doubted, or nit-picked. Children are no different. – Janet Lansbury
Micromanagement signals, “I don’t trust you.” Autonomy says, “You’ve got this.” Grit flourishes when kids are trusted to try, fail, and try again—without fear of being constantly corrected or doubted.
Quote 19: Raise your kids with the strength to know what they stand for, yet the humility to listen, learn, and grow. – Unknown
Grit doesn’t mean being stubborn. It means knowing when to stand firm and when to learn something new. Kids need both courage and curiosity to grow into strong, adaptable adults.
Quote 20: Strong-willed kids become adults who change the world as long as we can hang on for the ride and resist the temptation to “tame” the spirit out of them. – Unknown
That intensity you see in your child? It’s not a flaw—it’s fuel. Gritty kids often start as spirited ones. The key is helping them channel that energy, not squash it.
Quote 21: If I get one thing right in this parenting gig, I want my children to understand how their actions impact others. I want them to always think about what they can offer the world instead of what they can get from it. And I hope they always remember they are a part of something bigger than themselves. – Whitney Fleming
Purpose gives grit its direction. When kids believe they matter—that their actions affect others—they’re more likely to keep going, even when life gets hard. It’s not just about achieving. It’s about contributing.
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