Attention Parents.!!! Does the question “How to create confidence in my child?” worry you? Let me tell you the steps to be taken if it does bother you. Building confidence in children helps them to feel good about themselves, make friends, focus on their strengths, take on harsh criticism, and more. Children with healthy self-esteem will flourish. I would like you to read that again and add the word my child at the beginning. ‘My child with healthy self-esteem will flourish.’ Confidence and self-esteem in children sprout from what we, as their parents or caregivers or guardians, nurture them with.
Today’s children are pushed to develop complex life skills very young. However, please note all the intellectual abilities in the world are of little to no value without the self-esteem or confidence to put them to good use. Therefore, as parents, guardians, or guides, we must prioritize building healthy self-esteem and confidence. Nurturing and reinforcing confidence and self-esteem in our children evolves as our daily tasks. Our children or ward’s futures depend on it.
First, we must recognize that thoughts and beliefs affect our self-esteem. Experiences reinforce the positive or negative impact. This allows you to change the way you see or portray yourself. This will help you understand your value as a person. So as your self-esteem increases, so do your confidence, which directly impacts your sense of well-being!
Here are a few tips to help you support your kid’s journey to confidence and self-esteem.
1. Modelling confidence in kids and yourself
Allow the child to confide in you. Be their trust ambassador. Keep encouraging them and tell them they have a tower of refuge in you. Make sure you are there for them in all situations and circumstances. Being available is paramount. As an adult, your insecurities or confidence will transfer to your child as quickly as breathing. Children are like sponges. They absorb anything and everything their little eyes see, ears hear, or mind conceives. So, for instance, simple habits like nail biting can be transferred unknowingly to a child.
2. It’s ok for kids to make mistakes.
If you are not making mistakes, you are not doing it right. You have to agree that this is a clear point. Everyone will make mistakes, and everyone should learn from them. Since we all know that we are human, we should also agree that we are bound to make mistakes. What is important is how we teach our children to react to making these mistakes. Take it too seriously, and we have a problem. Taking it too light and we still have a problem. Create a safe space and no judgemental environment. Most importantly, never compare kids to any other kid.
3. Give them a chance to try their hands at new things.
Kids learn things so fast it will surprise you. For example, I read somewhere that speaking to your child in two languages helps them build not just their love for languages but also helps improve their IQs. Also, children love to learn things that allow them to explore and develop:
- Hint puzzles and building block games like lego, duple, etc.
- If your kid requests an instrument, allow them to explore their interest. This will enable them to take it up as a hobby and not a profession.
- Help them find their passion.
It will go a long way in letting them gain confidence in themselves.
4. Please remember to let kids be kids.
A little fun and tons of encouragement for them to let their hair down and catch a break is the most fantastic feeling a child will experience. It is crucial to allow them to play, waste time, and have time to themselves. It is also essential to keep them from running wild too. However, that said, please let them enjoy their childhood. They will grow up one day. Let them grow up as confident adults as they have you (their most prominent supporters and fans at their side for later in life.)
5. Praise their resilience and any effort they make.
Something that will go a long way in helping your child grow into a confident young adult. In a world that seeks ease and comfort and is becoming lazy. Give your child the much-needed encouragement even if they try more than once to do anything. Failure is never final unless we give up. Think of Edison and his 9,999 attempts to get a light bulb to work. Had he given up, could you imagine what would have happened? I know it’s an exaggeration, but the world would not have been the same. So when kids are determined to do better, give them that support and stand by them. The results might shock you.
6. Please offer unconditional love and kindness to them.
The world has enough haters and sadists: mean people and those who are bitter. Give your children unconditional love. Shows them immense kindness. Remind them that they are very precious to you. This not only allows them to venture out as confident young people but will also give them a chance or realize home is their haven. Their safe space. Your kindness and unconditional love will help them when they are in a tough spot. Moral support is precious. Give them that always.
Confidence in children is always built by how we bring them up. Invest the right amount in them, and you will have independent children who thrive in any setting life throws at them.
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