“Self-confidence is the foundation of all great success and achievement”

                                                                                                                                              – Brian Tracy

Confidence in a person’s life is very important to a child’s future happiness and success. Children who are confident are better equipped to deal with peer pressure, frustrations, challenges as well as positive and negative emotions. Confidence is one of the greatest gifts a parent can give their child.

And do you know what is the key factor in developing a child’s confidence? It is ‘YOU’. The child’s own parents and teachers. There is nothing to worry about! Building a child’s confidence doesn’t necessarily have to be a complicated task. In fact, you can make it all the more fun with your efforts. It’s natural that as a parent you want to instill confidence in your kids. A confident child believes in themselves and is able to face new challenges without any fear, which is an essential factor for a happy and fulfilling life. Although each child is different in their own way, however, there are a few general guidelines you can follow to build your kid’s confidence

In this article, we have shared effective strategies to start boosting the confidence of your children.

1. Ensure that they Know your Love for them is unconditional

The way we see our kids has a strong impact on the way they see themselves. Make it clear to your children that you love and care for them even when they make mistakes or poor decisions and avoid criticizing them.

2. Address them by their Names

Addressing your child by his/her name is a powerful way to send them the message that they are important to you and you are a friend to them.

3. Practice positive talks with them

At many times, a child’s mind is full of negative thoughts such as ‘I can’t do this, I am terrible at this, etc. At this point, teach children positive affirmations and make them feel confident that nothing is impossible and if done with full dedication everything can be achieved.

4. Give them age-appropriate special tasks to help you out

In addition to their regular chores and studies, give children special tasks to help them feel useful and responsible. Using the word Special will give your child an even bigger confidence boost. These special tasks can include helping you with a pet or taking care of a younger sibling or help you with the cooking.

5. Join in their Play and let them Lead 

Joining in a child’s play sends the message that he is important and is worthy of your time. During playtime, parents can allow their children to choose out the game they want to play and lead it. When parents engage in a child-led activity, the child feels valued and accomplished

6. Ask them for their opinion

Ask children for their advice to show that you value them and their ideas. This will be very helpful in building a child’s confidence by demonstrating that even adults need help sometimes.

7. Focus on improving your own Confidence

This is one of the most essential steps. Parents are a child’s best role models, so take out some time and build up your own confidence if needed. Start by making positive comments about yourself and others in your child’s presence.

8. Teach them how to set up and Achieve goals

Setting and achieving challenging, realistic goals can help children feel more capable. Help your children to decide their goals and stick to them.

9. Make time Together

Love and acceptance are the key components of confidence. So, parents should spend quality time with their children to demonstrate that they are valuable. Take your child on outings, eat dinner together, go outside or do other activities together that allows you and your child to spend time together. You can help your child feel loved by getting to know about their interests and hobbies and making it a point to have a personalized conversation with them.

10. Praise them the right way

Simply showering praises on a child is not just effective, but praising them the right way can certainly build their self-esteem. Give children genuine and specific praise that focuses more on effort than on results.

11. Praise about them to others

Another easy way to boost a child’s confidence is to let your child hear you praising about their achievements to others. Children are sometimes are not really convinced when we directly praise them, but hearing you repeat this praise in front of others will certainly make it believable for them.

12. Stop comparing them with others

Avoid comparing your child to their classmates or siblings. Never question them like “Why can’t you be like him/her” or “Look how well has he done”. These comparisons can cause children to doubt themselves and believe that they can’t meet your expectations and ultimately you lose confidence

13. Encourage them to try new things to develop new skills

Children who lack confidence often shy away from trying out new things or taking up new challenges. Encourage your children to try out new activities and develop new skills. This will give your child the confidence that they can tackle everything that will come in their way.

14. Help them discover their interests

It is very important for kids to discover their interests. When children find what they like and excel in it, they gain confidence in themselves and their abilities. Create opportunities for your children and let them try out activities that interest them and be supportive.

15. Help them to overcome the fear of failure

The fear of failure often prevents children from trying their best and reaching their fullest potential which will reduce their confidence. Help kids overcome the fear of failure by talking to them that mistakes are a part of life and that people hardly achieve anything in life without challenges.

16. Encourage them to express their feelings

When you criticize a child’s feelings, he may feel that his emotions don’t really matter and will feel that he is not really wanted. Rather, encourage your child to express both positive as well as negative emotions and help them talk through these emotions in a healthy manner.

17. Keep them surrounded to positive people

The more a child is around positive & confident people, the more he is to become like that. Make sure your child has friends who are confident and who will uplift and encourage them rather than tearing them down.

19. Cover a wall of Fame to recognize their Achievements

At home, demonstrate your appreciation for kids’ achievements by creating a wall of Fame that will showcase your achievements like grades, projects, trophies, etc. This will highlight your child’s effort and determination, giving him a confidence boost that can be helpful in times of self-doubt.

19. Shower them with Hugs

Physical affection communicates love, acceptance making children happy and confident. You can give your kids high fives, back pats and lots of hugs to show that they are cared and valued.

20. Let them make age-appropriate choices

Choices help children feel more competent and powerful. Allow children to make age-appropriate decisions like what to wear, what to eat, what games to play, where to go on an outing, and so on.

Conclusion

Confidence is something that shapes a child’s life and it is one of the most important gifts a parent can give to their children. Give your kid an opportunity to feel capable and competent and demonstrate through your words and actions that they are loved and valued. With your support, children in your care will grow into confident individuals who are happy and successful.