Having self-confidence isn’t something that comes automatically to everyone. While some have always had strong personalities from the beginning, others struggle to find that courage within themselves.
Just because one of your children is outgoing, bubbly and shows signs of confidence, doesn’t mean that it will apply to all of them.
Take each child as they come and mold them.
Every parent has a role in shaping how their kids feel about themselves from an early age. There are certain things you can do to help them build the confidence they need.
Here is what you can do.
Encourage them when they try new thingsWhen your child shows effort in doing something on their own for the first time, show that you’re happy for them and let them know they are doing great.
Let them help out with simple chores like cooking, making the bed or helping their younger sibling get dressed if they want to try.
This boosts their confidence and will push them to challenge themselves even when they’re not perfect yet. Those simple tasks will slowly shape their confidence as they grow.
Stop comparing them to other kidsA child’s greatest fear is being compared to their siblings and other kids.
When their achievements don’t match up to others’, they’re at a vulnerable place and they don’t need to have that highlighted.
As a parent, let them know they’re special in their own way and focus on building their strengths instead of reminding them that they aren’t as smart or as talented as someone else.
There is nothing more comforting than a parent’s love. It’s a very important foundation for a child’s confidence because they will always know that they are cherished and accepted.
If, for example, they are bullied for their looks in school, they will bounce back faster than a child who isn’t shown any love by their parents.
That’s because, they have their parent’s acceptance so they will remember that they don’t need to prove their worth to others.
Give them hugs and kisses and tell them you love them as a way of molding them into happy confident children.
Give them sincere praisesPraising your child is a great technique to improve confidence. H
owever, there are some types of praises that can actually do the opposite, which is crushing their confidence.
At some point, you have to adjust from praising your child for everything they do, to giving honest praises when you’re proud of them.
As they grow older, they’re able to tell the difference between fake and genuine praises so you should be careful when approaching them.
They will only be able to build true confidence when they can trust that you are sincerely happy for them.
Work on your self-confidenceAs a parent you need to bear in mind that your kids pick up on both positive and negative traits depending on what they see at home.
If you’re always putting yourself down, they will assume that that’s the right way to handle themselves.
As they integrate with others outside the home, they will realize there’s a problem somewhere because they lacked a true example of self-confidence.
Focus on building your self-confidence first if you’ve had struggles and let the positive changes be seen and your children will emulate you.