From the day a baby is born to the different phases they undergo every few weeks, children learn new skills at a dizzying speed. But what’s fascinating about a child’s ability to learn new things is the confidence they develop in their abilities.
When a child wishes to fly, they do not stop to think their cardboard plane and Princess Sophie’s wings won’t truly raise them in the wind.
Kids must trust their abilities and be sure they can triumph any feat that comes in their way. The goal is to help your children stay confident even when they fail at achieving a goal on the first try.
As a child grows older, the robust confidence in the self seems to wane away. But if you explore the idea a little further, you will realize the age when confidence becomes an essential need for the child is exactly when it becomes scarce.
There’re many lessons a father must instill in his children regardless of the family being connected by blood or blends. The role of the father remains consistent. He teaches perseverance, and how could a child learn to be perseverant without being confident in his/her abilities?
To help our readers help their kids, we have compiled a resource. Here is a quick guide for fathers to help their kids gain self-confidence.
But before we delve into the techniques, let’s take a quick minute to break down the significance of self-confidence in young children.
Why Self-confidence Matters?
When a child lacks self-confidence, they will naturally be reluctant to try anything new or challenging. The fear of failure and disappointment will become a lifelong shackle that will hold them back for a long time, even when trying to build a successful career for themselves!
Child psychologists are noted to have said that fear and discouragement are the biggest enemies of self-confidence.
In simpler words, when a parent or elder praises the child for making their bed for the first time, they don’t just seek validation from an individual who is superior to them.
Instead, they revel in the sense of accomplishment from achieving something typically done by adults, yet they did not seek any assistance in doing it!
This seemingly small moment can have a life-changing impact on a young mind. It can help them gain the confidence they need or break their self-esteem apart in shreds. There’s nothing that comes between these two extremes.
Whether we divide the core concepts into useless intricacies or keep them grounded in the essential notes, here is a collection of five tips from experts to help your child gain self-confidence.
1. Encourage Them at Every Step of the Way
Parents often fail to realize the importance of a few kind words to their children. When you find your child trying something new or accomplishing a task, no matter how many times they have already done it in the past, you must appreciate the child.
Parenting websites like dadistry.com have revealed that encouragement can take any form. Whether you say a few sweet words or give them a pat on the back, perhaps get them a reward for scoring well on a test that they were not sure about.
In any case, a little push is all it takes to encourage the child.
2. Let Them be Themselves
One thing that parents often forget is the fact that their children are ‘growing.’ They may be unable to recite the alphabet right away, or multiplication may not come naturally to them. But as time goes by, they will learn to solve simultaneous linear equations and complex trigonometry.
If you give the child room to breathe and make mistakes, you foster the spirit of trial and error. This is critical when you are trying to help children navigate through the murky waters of personality development.
You need to stay calm and make sure that you do not stifle the child with overbearing expectations. Remember that expecting a five-year-old to recite the Psalms and the Proverbs would only make things challenging for them.
3. Nourish Curiosity, Avoid Shortcuts
When it comes to parenting, most adults choose to become dictators instead of advisers. This way, they pave the way for the child to believe that they will always follow the route announced by anyone in authority.
Teaching a child to be submissive at all times would trample their self-esteem and crush the spirit of curiosity even before it has fully bloomed.
So make sure that you allow your child to be curious. Don’t let them follow blindly, which is a direct shortcut to esteem issues in later years.
4. Stay Present in Their Lives
The best way to help your child gain self-confidence is to show them they have someone to fall back on.
Make sure that you are present in every big and small change in their life. From the transition to the toilet seat to the first ball game, your child must know that they can take a leap of faith because you will be there to watch over them.
5. Love Them, No Matter What
Love is the cure-all. Whether it is a lack of confidence or stage-fright, your unconditional love can work as a salve that will help your child feel better. It will help them heal from failure and disappointment, thus building the confidence they need for survival.
Loving unconditionally does not mean that you have to be a helicopter parent, be there when your child needs you and try to become their confidante.
Trust is the foundation of self-confidence. If you establish trust, then you have already achieved half of the goal.
Final Thoughts
Helping your child gain self-confidence is just a matter of priority. All you truly need to do is become a good parent. And all of the other things will follow. Love the child despite their shortcomings, help them find themselves, and just let them know that you are there.
That is all you need. If you master the art of being an unconditional parent, then your children will outgrow their challenges faster than your expectations.
Strong self-esteem is critical regardless of your specific age group. It’s particularly important in young and impressionable children who have a bright future ahead of them. Here’s how you can help your kids believe in themselves.
