One of the biggest gifts you can give your child is the gift of self-confidence. Not only will self-confidence boost your child’s independence and happiness, but it will give them life-long self-esteem that will aid them in higher education, their careers, and their relationships. But how to build self-confidence in your child, exactly? What methods can you use?
What Are Signs Of Low Self-Esteem In Children?
Low self-esteem in children is a heartbreaking problem that no parents want to see their child suffer through. Thankfully, it’s a fixable issue. It will take patience and some TLC.
Signs of low self-esteem in children include anxiety in social situations; frequent self-deprecating comments or comparisons to other children; avoiding or quitting tasks out of a fear of failure; and out-of-character misbehavior or emotional outbursts.
If you feel that your child has exhibited many of these signs, don’t worry, but take action. You can help them boost their self-esteem and get back to feeling good about themselves and having fun, and we’ll help guide you.
How To Build Self-Confidence In Your Child
There are many ways to help your child become more confident in themselves. Some of the best ways are:
- Model Self-Confidence: Children take after their parents, and the things we do without thinking can influence their behavior. If you’re always talking badly about yourself or putting yourself down, your child may pick up on this and begin to treat themselves similarly. Try to model self-confidence in front of your child by being kind to yourself and pointing out when you’ve done something to be proud of.
- Let Them Help: A great way to build your child’s confidence is to encourage them to help others. When you help someone else, you feel better about yourself, and it’s no different for children. Let them help out with housework (even if you need to redo it afterward) or join you on a volunteering job.
- Help Them Learn and Make Mistakes: Learning to do something new is a powerful self-esteem builder. Learning new things such as how to ride a bike, put something together, or sound out new words will help your child feel more confident. Guide your child through the learning process – then step back and let them enjoy their new skills on their own, even if they make mistakes. Making mistakes (and seeing that everything ends up fine) is an important part of developing self-esteem.
- Praise Them Wisely: Praise is powerful and important for children, but it’s also important not to overpraise. Overpraising may cause your child to feel that the praise wasn’t earned, making them feel worse. In addition, try to praise the effort they put in, instead of the final result.
How Do You Build A Child’s Self-Esteem In School?
School can be scary for young children at first. Being surrounded by peers and dealing with a new and unfamiliar authority figure can lead your child to feel insecure. In addition to the above steps, be sure to encourage your child not to compare themselves to others. Encourage their individuality, reward their effort, and set aside time to help them with any tasks they may find difficult.
What Activities Build Children’s Confidence?
Looking for a fun activity that will build your child’s confidence and self-esteem? Try an “I am” exercise. Get some paper and pencils and, with your child, come up with words that describe both of you. For example, “I am brave,” or “I am persistent.” Come up with an example of a time when you or your child demonstrated this trait.
During your child’s stay at Kid’s Corner, whether it be for daycare or preschool, your child will naturally build self-esteem while performing tasks and playing with other children and by themselves. Our friendly, safe environment encourages your child to develop their imagination, independence, and early life skills while having fun! For more information or to schedule a tour, call Kids’ Corner now at 480-267-9419 for our Mesa campus or 480-267-9427 for our Gilbert campus.
