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How To Help Your Child Grow In Confidence

According to a recent study, 75% of young people admit to struggling with their confidence and self-esteem.

Photo by Artur Aldyrkhanov on Unsplash

There are many potential reasons for this, from struggling to fit in with their peers to adapting to the changes that come hand-in-hand with growing up. Fortunately, as a parent, there are plenty of steps that you can take to help your child grow in confidence!

Help them with their school work. Finding ways to support your child’s education can help to build (or rebuild) their self-esteem, especially if they have been struggling in the classroom. This is because it will help them to rise above any challenges they face while also improving their academic performance. 

Furthermore, there are many ways in which you can help your child with their schoolwork. For example, you could sit with them while they’re working on their homework so they can ask as many questions as needed or help find a tutor to support them. 

Encourage them to pursue their hobbies and interests. Various studies have found that participating in hobbies and extracurricular activities is key to helping children become more confident. This is because they enable them to develop a range of skills and connect with other children their age, all while encouraging them to step out of their comfort zone from time to time.

As such, you should be sure to be a huge champion of their hobbies and interests and show up for them as much as you can in this regard. For example, if they’re part of a sports team, you should not only show up at games but ask how their training is going each time you pick them up!

Encourage them to step outside of their comfort zone. Finding as many ways as possible to help your child step outside of their comfort zone is key to elevating their confidence levels. This is because doing so shows them that they can do anything they set their mind to! 

Fortunately, there are many different ways in which you can (gently) nudge your child out of their comfort zone. For example, if they struggle to put themselves out there and make friends, you could enroll them in a summer camp. This will allow them to spend more time with their peers than ever before, forging strong relationships through learning and play. 

Let your child know that you are proud of them. Sometimes, the only thing you have to do in order to help your children become as confident as possible is to let them know that you are proud of them. This is a form of positive reinforcement that lets them know they are on the right track, which can be incredibly beneficial if they are struggling at the moment. As such, you should praise them as often as you can.

Teach them that it’s okay to make a mistake. Nobody likes making mistakes. However, as adults, we’re often able to view them from a more rational standpoint. For example, if we make a mistake at work, we view it as a learning opportunity as opposed to a sign to quit. Children do not have this insight and are more likely to view even the smallest mistake as a catastrophe. 

As such, you should teach them from an early age that not only is it okay to make mistakes but that it’s something that we all do from time to time. 

Whenever they feel as though they’ve made a mistake, sit down and talk through it with them. Discuss the actions that led them to this stage and what they could do differently moving forward in order to ensure that they do not make the same mistake twice.

Lead by example. Children often mirror the behavior of their parents. This means that when it comes to helping your child be the most confident version of themselves, you need to lead by example. 

For example, if you spend a lot of time outwardly criticizing your appearance, your child is likely to adopt a similarly negative perception of their own appearance. As such, you should work on elevating your own confidence, too, and ensure that you are mindful of the way you speak about yourself (and others) in front of your children. You’d be surprised about the long-term impact a throwaway comment can have, especially when you’re young! 

Help them to set goals. Encouraging your child to set goals can also help increase their confidence levels. This is because their dreams or targets no longer seem so far away, as they have a clear plan in place to help them achieve whatever they set their minds to. Not only that, but various studies have found that achieving goals – however small – causes our self-esteem to skyrocket. It’s also a great way to teach your child to be as resilient as possible, which can only be a good thing as they get older. 

Let them know you’re always there to listen. As our children get older, they may not come to us wanting answers or solutions to their problems. In fact, they may find the very thought of asking their parents to fight their battles to be terribly embarrassing. However, that does not mean that they want to keep these things to themselves.

As such, you should let your child know that you are always there to listen. This can increase their confidence as they feel as though they are supported in all areas of their lives. 

Final thoughts. In short, there are plenty of steps that you can take as a parent to ensure that you’re raising children who stand with their heads held high. From supporting their every interest to letting them know it is okay to make mistakes, you can help build their confidence from the ground up.

However, it is also important that you teach your child that nobody is as confident as they seem to be from the outside – not even celebrities on the red carpets. In some instances, you simply have to fake it til you make it! 

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