Confidence isn’t something which comes naturally to children; it develops over time in accordance with their experiences in life. Confident children have learnt that they are capable of overcoming challenges and can trust in their own abilities. This may have developed through having to tackle problems, and not being able to rely too much on other people to solve things for them. Here a junior school in the Cotswolds outlines how you can help your child with their confidence.
Model confidence
Children copy their parents’ behaviour, and seeing you tackling challenges positively will rub off on them. Show them that obstacles are not necessarily a sign to retreat and emphasise that you’re focussing on what needs to be done to overcome the problem. It’s okay to acknowledge if you’re feeling worried about something, but make sure you remain optimistic that you’ll be able to get through it. Modelling this kind of behaviour encourages your child to be resilient, which is an important part of feeling confident.
Encourage them
Encourage your child to try new things, some of which might frighten them a little. Not only will this help them develop new skills, which will increase their confidence, but they’ll also start to trust themselves more. Taking children out of their comfort zone can allow them to discover things about themselves they didn’t know, and it will boost their self-esteem when they realise they are capable of more than they thought.
Pay attention
When you give your child your full attention and really listen to their needs, you show them that they’re important to you. Feeling valued in this way will help increase their self-esteem. Spend quality time together and find out what they really need from you. This doesn’t mean granting their every request, but it does mean listening and giving them your time.
Foster independence
Encourage your child to do things on their own and try to resist the urge to jump in quickly and save them from any distress. To become confident, children have to learn that they’re capable of doing some things independently. You can foster independence by teaching your child from an early age to do things themselves, like tying up their shoes or making their own drinks. Don’t pander to them too much, or they might come to rely too much on other people to do things for them.
Confidence develops over time, and some children will be more confident than others. There are plenty of things you can do as a parent though to help increase your child’s self-esteem.
