It’s a tough time to be a kid as we live in an age of social media and technology. Academic pressure, bullying or the need for validation can easily dampen a child’s spirits and lose confidence in himself. But with a loving environment, encouraging words and a realistic perception of himself and his capabilities, a child can slowly believe in himself again and gain self-confidence.
Here are 3 ways to help your child gain self-confidence:
Create a loving and supportive environment
A child needs to know that if he’s sad, angry or is going through something (whether big or small) there is a safe place he can go home to that will show no judgment, only acceptance, love and support. Strive to always listen to what he has to say and offer advice. If you shout or make a mistake, apologize.
Give praise to where it’s due. Young children tend to measure their achievements and self-worth through positive feedback from their family, especially their parents. A good foundation at home is crucial to a young one’s confidence.
Instill resilience
While praise and positive feedback is helpful, it is important that these are all realistic. When your kid fails at something, praise the effort and not the results. Help him set realistic goals for himself – explaining to him that like you, he will also experience criticism, failure, pain and setback but that he should use them as learning experiences. Be sad for a while or cry it out then get up and move on.
Helping your child understand himself and his abilities better will lead him to set reasonable goals and avoid failed expectations – building up his self-confidence further.
Support their interests
It’s hard for a child to express himself and show confidence doing things that he isn’t interested in. Allow him to find his passion or something he excels in on his own and show support in all his interests even if it doesn’t interest you.
But this doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t encourage them to try other interests. Sports is a great way for a kid to build his self-confidence and develop social relationships. It also teaches him that he can start small, improve, practice and reach different goals.
A parent’s love, support and encouragement play a big role in helping build a child’s self-confidence, whether he’s a young child or a teenager. Follow these 3 simple ways to have a happier, more confident child.
