Socialise more
One of the best ways for kids to build confidence is to socialise with others. Spend time around other kids and adults, go on trips and chat to people who are different from you. Let them learn skills like patience and empathy which can come with spending time with other people. You can join baby and parenting groups when your children are little as a way to do this, as they get older they can go to extra curricular activities and play dates with school friends. Socialising with others, and learning what it is to be a good listener, a caring person and someone that’s willing to share and wait their turn will help them dramatically in their lives. Socialising also helps them to understand friendships, improves communication and so much more. Spending time with others helps kids to see that people aren’t scary, that they’re able to communicate effectively and enjoy the company of others. Confidence doesn't always mean being the most outgoing child in the playground since everyone is different. But it means they can speak with others and spend time with them without feeling alienated or scared.
Let them do things without you
It can be really difficult to let go, but as our kids get a little older we have to start giving them more independence- and doing things without you there is one way to go about this. We all want to be close to our children and wrap them up in cotton wool but they’re not ours to keep, a huge part of parenthood is teaching them the skills they need to get by without us there. A great way you can do this when they’re still young is to sign them up to things like camps and activity holidays like football tours or music camp. Of course, they’re all supervised by adults but they allow your child to see that they can go off and do these things without their parents holding their hand all the way. While it’s scary at first, it can really build confidence and shows them that they are capable. It’s not about throwing them in at the deep end and expecting them to swim, rather, building up to the stage where they have the skills and knowledge to succeed.
Let them fail
Watching your child fail can be hard as a parent, but it’s important to let them do so. We learn so much in failure and defeat, it’s all about how they pick themselves up and try again until they get it right. If they’re learning a new skill, show them what to do and then take a step back and let them have a go. Don’t keep giving your input unless they ask for it or you need to show them a different way to learn. Success after failure builds resilience and confidence. It’s important to know in life that failure happens, but that you can turn it around with courage and dedication.
K Elizabeth xoxox
*Collaborative Post
