How to Raise a Confident Child

*Collaborative post.

A confident child will be better equipped to deal with the challenges thrown their way, from schoolwork to friendship problems, and generally just experiencing unfamiliar things. Granted, not all children are naturally confident, and many need a helping hand from their parents to help them get there. But “How?”, I hear you ask. I have teamed up with a preparatory school in Somerset to offer you some tips.

Of course, one obvious way to help a child become more confident is to give them praise. However, too much praise, especially when it’s not necessary, can start to lose its meaning. With this in mind, only praise your child when they actually deserve it, like you see them working hard on a piece of homework or they ask insightful questions. 

On the other end of the scale is punishment. All children need to be punished when they do something wrong but try and avoid being too hard on your child, as this will only damage their self-esteem. If they truly deserve it, then fair enough, but if they accidentally break something or try really hard on a test and get a bad grade anyway, remind them that they are only human and they can learn from their mistakes and improve next time. Try and put a positive spin on things, like “I’m proud of you for owning up to breaking the vase” or “Well done for trying your best on the test”.

Encourage your child to try new things on a regular basis and mix-up their routine from time to time. If they start to see that the world isn’t as daunting as it first seems, their confidence will start to flourish. You should also give them responsibilities around your home, like washing the dishes or setting the table, to show them that you trust them. This will help them to feel grown up and independent and they will start to have faith in their own abilities. 

There are lots of other ways to help your child become more confident, like encouraging them to join an extra-curricular activity where they can make new friends and learn new skills. Allow them to experience social interactions with various different people from a young age, so that they become comfortable with social interactions. Help them with their learning and always demonstrate a positive and optimistic attitude around them.