Confidence is a strong personality trait that can help a person succeed in the long run. It extends far beyond being able to speak in front of a large crowd or being comfortable enough to share an unpopular opinion. It allows you to make decisions you believe in and is related to the way we think and feel about ourselves.
Children who are confident and secure are more likely to be successful in future. It is an important personality trait that has a positive impact in other facets of their lives. Given that self-esteem is already established by the time a child reaches 5 years old, the responsibility of cultivating a confident child usually falls on the parents’ shoulders.
In this blog, we share 5 ways on how to raise a confident child.
1. Embrace failure
The rule of thumb when it comes to building a strong self-esteem in children is to be supportive – but not overprotective. Your first instinct to your child wanting to learn skateboarding is probably to ask them to wait till they are older, but doing so may cause your child to develop a fear in trying new things.
Given that we are all humans, and that humans make mistakes from time to time, the main objective here is to allow your child to learn from failure. Going through the trial-and-error process that comes naturally with picking up new skills will set your child up for success and teach him or her to embrace their imperfections.
2. Walk the talk
As a role model, you can also learn something new and use the process as a teachable moment to build confidence in your child. Similarly, you should also refrain from sharing negative comments so as not to discourage your child. Instead, use your challenges as a case study to learn from and share your obstacles and how you dealt with them in the process.
Whether you choose to fake it till you make it, or seek help from someone to achieve your goals, your child will likely follow your footsteps to deal with problems in future.
3. Celebrate successes
As the saying goes, “It is usually better to be generous with praise, but cautious with criticism.” Likewise, many parenting resources will tell you that a good way to raise a confident child is by praising their efforts, even if they do not result in success.
Praise gives us the drive and motivation to keep on trying, and the same applies to young children. Look for opportunities in daily life to thank and commend the accomplishments of your child.
4. Create responsibilities
In addition to toothbrushing and moving dirty clothes to the laundry basket, raising fun tasks to help your child feel useful, competent – and therefore, confident. At home, these tasks can include teaching a younger sibling, or watering the plants. When outside, your child can even lead the family on a hiking trip by giving him a map to navigate with.
5. Lead the play
You have seen your toddler having a tea party with her favourite soft toys or busy cooking at the toy kitchen. In the land of make-believe, you may be tempted to just leave your child alone to play. Pretend play is extremely important in a child’s development, but you can even use it to boost your child’s confidence levels by joining in.
During playtimes, you can choose to initiate a pretend scene or let your child lead it with his or her imagination. Joining in will send the message that your child is important and worthy of your time.
Play-acting can be one of the most effective ways to enhance a child’s confidence. Take your child’s interest in pretend play to the next level by enrolling him or her into a performance arts class. At MindChamps Académie of Stars, you’ll find a holistic performing arts programme which combines singing, dancing and acting to build a resilient and creative mindset. Or how about a public speaking programme which promotes effective communication?
Supporting a Growth Mindset in Children
When children learn to power through failure and are exposed to new things, their self-esteem will naturally improve. Implementing these tips in your daily life will help your child develop a growth mindset which helps them grow into confident adults.
At MindChamps Académie of Stars, our classes are designed to build resilient children and help them acquire useful skills – which are important building blocks to cultivate strong confidence. Discover more about how we can help your child, or contact us to find out how you can raise a confident child today.