12 Best Ways to Help Your Child Build Confidence

Bringing up a child is one of the most complex things in the world. You’re trying your best but are unsure if the way you’re going is the right call. Luckily for you and countless other parents, you always have the internet to look up for help. And while you usually have to tread carefully, we’ve done that part for you and curated a list of the best ways to build a child’s confidence:

Praise Effort, Not Just Success

Most of us grew up with parents who praised success but didn’t really pay much attention to the effort. While praising success is good, it also puts forward an expectation of success. If children don’t succeed at something, they’ll think their parents are disappointed in them. This is why you must praise effort and hard work, so your child knows they’ve got your support.

Encourage Independence

A child won’t gain confidence by staying cooped up in the house with no way of approaching adventurous opportunities. They’ll only become confident if they’re independent, even if it’s small things like doing a chore. Ensure you’re giving your children as many opportunities to be independent as possible so they won’t shy away from change and new things.

Allow Mistakes

It’s natural to feel a little conflicted when your child makes a mistake, especially one that’s a bit hard to rectify. But this doesn’t mean you cut them out or scold them; a big part of being a human is making mistakes, so it’s important you encourage your children to make fewer mistakes while ensuring you don’t vilify them for the mistakes they’ve already made.

Listen Without Judgment

Often, parents are quick to judge and scold their children, leading to a variety of problems. This not only makes the children insecure, but it also makes them afraid of approaching their own parents. You must listen to your children without judgment, no matter how troubled they may sound. Once they’ve let out their worries, offer solutions in a calm way to ensure they’re never afraid of you.

Set Realistic Goals

While we want the best for our children, sometimes, our very hopes get in the way of their success. You might want your child to be the best at everything, but every child has their own caliber and potential. Expecting children to mold themselves according to what others are doing will only make them stressed and hinder them from reaching easy goals.

Celebrate Their Uniqueness

No child is identical, even if they’re twins. We’re all born with different potentials, interests, and goals. You must celebrate your children’s uniqueness, no matter how different they might seem from conventional expectations. Celebrating and embracing your children’s uniqueness makes them comfortable with who they are, so they’ll stay confident.

Support Their Interests

Sometimes, children pick up interests that might not align with their parent’s approval. Sometimes, it’s temporary; sometimes, it’s not. In such cases, bashing them for their interests or being disdainful makes them insecure, unloved, and unwelcome. You might not agree with your children’s interests, but give them enough support to see them through; you’ll see they’re more confident and will get along with you, too.

Teach Problem-Solving Skills

It’s easy to get flustered when you make a mistake, but you don’t move beyond mistakes when you grow up normalizing that reaction. This is why it’s important to teach your children different ways to solve problems and move on from obstacles; once they learn how to solve things on their own, they’ll take the initiative and become independent and confident.

Encourage Socialization

You’re never going to go anywhere confidently if you don’t encourage your children to socialize. We get it; some kids are introverts, but it’s important for them to learn social skills so they can set out in the real world and adjust according to their environment. Encourage children to socialize by inviting over friends, giving them opportunities to visit and explore, and even taking internships when they’re older to broaden their social circles.

Avoid Criticism

Parents who criticize their children not only push them away but also discourage them from seeking new experiences. If a child grows up being constantly criticized, he’ll begin to normalize criticism and won’t be able to move on to a healthier environment. It’s important you teach your children right and wrong, but without criticizing their behavior and actions.

Encourage Physical Activity

While this might not seem like a great tip for confidence, it works wonders. As children grow up, they absorb society’s concepts of normal beauty standards, which are often skewed. This lowers their esteem and puts their mental and physical health at risk. It’s best to encourage physical activity and a healthy diet with the help of a nutritionist and a pediatrician to ensure your children grow up healthy and confident.

Limit Screen Time

If there’s one big disadvantage of social media, it’s how soul-sucking it can be. You’re constantly scrolling past influencers and social media gurus who make life seem easy when they’re simply manipulating their reality. But seeing them makes you feel insecure and insufficient, so limiting screen time is essential to ensure your children grow up with healthy perspectives.

More For You

You can also plan a vacation with your kids. Traveling helps boost confidence and teaches them many things, such as confidence, problem-solving, and independence. It also gives them a chance to learn about new cultures and make wonderful memories.

This article was first published on RB ITALIA Blog.