By Jack Burden

Growing up isn’t easy, especially if you’re feeling a little insecure.  In our society, it’s easy to feel besieged on all sides by messages that tell us we’re not good enough, and there are plenty of familial and social pressures to add to the mix.  Fortunately, this article has some awesome tips for how parents can help boost their child’s confidence.

1. Praise Them.  It’s easy to automatically assume that kids already have a healthy dose of confidence, but we all know that’s not true.  Kids need praise just as much as they need anything else in life.  When you notice something they’ve done that you can compliment, do it.  Make sure to find things at home and outside of the home that your child can do well so they can experience success.  It will give them a foundation for their self-esteem which will help them feel good about themselves even when times are tough.

2. Encourage Them to Dream Big.  Kids are capable of amazing things especially if you encourage them.  Tell them to think about all the things they want to accomplish and make those their focus from now on.  Make it a point to help them dream about how they’ll achieve those goals, and then give them as much support as you can so that they can make their dreams a reality.

3. Teach them to be less self-critical. Whenever someone actively criticizes or judges themselves, they will naturally have a harder time feeling good about who they are and what they can do.  Kids generally aren’t very aware of this self-critical tendency, so help them learn to recognize unwanted negative thoughts and replace them with more positive ones.

4. Help them identify their strengths.  Your child might not feel confident because they don’t understand their strengths.  All of us have a special something that makes us unique, and if we’re feeling unsure about ourselves, it’s usually because we’re focusing on our weaknesses rather than our strengths.

If your child feels insecure, encourage them to take time to think about what they like most about themselves.  Think of all the times they felt confident in the past, and then help them pinpoint what was going on in their mind at the time.

5. Give them a chance to shine. Children are natural performers, so if they don’t feel confident in themselves, it can sometimes be hard for them to perform without having the assurance of being great at what they’re doing.

Make sure you give your child the opportunity to show off and show what they’re capable of.  If you take time to let your child know you are interested in their strengths and knowledge, this will give them the encouragement and confidence they need to have fun with their learning activities.

Confidence is the key ingredient that helps us make it through challenging times in our lives.  At home and at school, confidence builds resiliency and helps us accomplish our goals.  With the right amount of encouragement and support, a confident child can become a happy and successful adult.

 

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