How to Build Self Confidence in A Child?

One of the core things we can all agree on as parents is that developing self-confidence in a child is very important. It is one of the cornerstones of living a mentally healthy life. Building self-confidence in children allows them to be brave and reach out to try new things in life. Without even knowing it, children develop a positive feeling of self-worth in themselves that subsequently helps them overcome failures in their lives.  

But unfortunately, children today are prone to developing a lack of self-confidence more than ever. Yes! There are many children in India who are plagued by low self-confidence. 

Like adults, children also have struggles of their own. Because children are growing at such a rapid pace, there are a lot of adjustments and changes taking place in their lives. Not only that, but parents and teachers also tend to have very high expectations from their children. It's very difficult for a child to absorb everything going on around them and deal with them in a healthy manner without any guidance and support. So, as a parent how can you help build self-confidence in your child?

How to Build self-confidence in A Child?

Communication does matter:

Children understand and communicate things differently than adults do. Although you were also a child once, it can be difficult to recall just how it felt to be very young.

Hence, learning exactly what to say to your child when they are having a bad day is important. Focus more on knowing how you can get through to your child, even when they refuse to listen. Be a nurturing parent and nurture a comfortable relationship with your child.

Stop pushing them:

Many parents believe that if they push their children to become better people, they will excel beyond all expectations. You, as a parent, may hope that one day you might get to sit back and be proud of your child's accomplishments. Sadly, your child may be unable to reach their full potential because of the type of parenting they were forced to endure.

Hence, focus on learning how to retrain your child from making mistakes that will negatively affect them in the long run. Have confidence in your child and encourage them to do better but do not force them.

Keep a positive environment:

Many children feel let down because their parents do not take the time to sit down with them and talk to them. One thing that children do not like is a home full of tension and arguing.

Too much negativity can cause children to develop problems later on, which is why it is important to learn how to prevent them now. Sit with your child, talk about how their day went, tell them about your day and try to build a rapport with them. Spending quality time with your child can help build a trustworthy and supportive relationship.  

Recommended Read: Unhealthy Parent-Child Relationship - Causes and How to Fix it

Set a Role model for them:

Children look up to their parents and responsible people in their lives. It is up to you as a parent to set a positive example and to provide them with direction. In the end, the goal is to make sure that they grow up to become successful individuals with a positive outlook on life and learn good morals.

Stepping back:

One of the main methods of building self-confidence in children includes giving them space and stepping back. Instead of heaping praises on them, you have to let the child take risks, make their own decisions, solve problems, and stick to whatever task they start.

Avoid overpraising your kids:

Excessive praise and showering your child with compliments can do more harm than good. Self-confidence comes from feeling secure and loved, and it develops competence as well.

Over praising your children can be harmful because you may be setting a low bar for them. For instance, if you keep telling them that they are doing a fantastic job at performing menial tasks, they won’t see the need to push themselves. You have to let your child try things on their own, fail, and try again. The key to building self-confidence in a child comes from practice and effort.

Letting your child take healthy risks:

If you want to know how to build up confidence in a child, then you have to let them take healthy risks. To help them build self-esteem and confidence, you must stand back and let your child take chances, make decisions, and start taking responsibility for their actions. Avoid rescuing your kid from failures and let them solve their problems.

Let them make their own choices:

As mentioned before, letting your child make their own choices and decisions is important when it comes to building self-confidence in children. When kids make their choices, they feel confident and start considering the consequences of their decisions. It can be simple tasks like choosing what outfits they want to wear, that can raise their self-confidence levels.

Letting them help around the house:

When it comes to building self-confidence in a child, you have to provide them with opportunities to showcase their competence and allow them to feel that their contribution is valued in the house. Some household tasks that kids can help with include setting the table, cooking, and making their beds.

Letting them pursue their interests:

When it comes to how to build up confidence in a child, encouraging them to pursue their interests helps boost their confidence. Once you understand what they are interested in, you must ensure that they follow their interests to completion. It can be anything like swimming laps or taking up a dance class, encourage your child to pursue their passions, and have fun. Stick with them through their interests, so that they feel a sense of accomplishment in the end.

Tell your child that you love them unconditionally:

Let your children know that you love them unconditionally, this will help in building self-confidence in children. Support them even when they fail or make bad decisions. Avoid praising them only when they perform well in academics or extracurricular because they will assume that you only love them during their peak moments and not during their failures.

How to Build Your Child's Self-Confidence? 

It's important that your child believes they can do whatever they set their mind to. Unfortunately for many children, that's not always the case. You can be the best parent and role guide for your child because, as children grow up, they learn about who they are and much of this comes from their parent's vision of them. 

Also, any habit or lesson that is taught at a young age usually sticks with a child for life. It's best to begin preparing your child how to develop self-confidence from a young age rather than making them figure it out all on their own when they get older. Your positive influence and knowledge as to how to interact with your child will help you to build a bond with your child that cannot be broken. You are not alone in this.

Know that you do have options and there is knowledge out there that will help you achieve your goal of improving self-confidence in your child. They deserve the right upbringing that enables them with important personality traits.

Help Your Child Have Higher Self-Confidence: Why Cadabam’s Hospitals

We are here to help! At Cadabam’s Hospitals, we have a multi-specialty team of experts who outline tailored solutions and work closely with children (and their parents) to nourish their self-confidence. We have been doing this for more than 30 years, helping the little ones with their mental health and overall well-being. Call us today at +91 97414 76476 or visit Cadabam’s Hospitals.

FAQs About Building Confidence in Children

• What are the common signs of low self-confidence in children?

There are various signs of low self-confidence in children. Like, they might not socialize much, they stay alone and isolated most of the time, they find it hard to make friends, they say limiting things about themselves, they avoid doing challenging tasks, they get frustrated, annoyed, and emotional easily. 

• Does my child have low self-confidence?

A simple way to figure this out is to look for signs that may suggest they have low self-confidence. Note, however, that the presence of these signs doesn’t necessarily make any definite conclusion. Similarly, even if the signs are absent, that doesn’t mean they are confident. If you have any reason to believe that your child has low self-confidence, the best thing you can do is to take them to a counselor and seek professional help.

• What causes low self-confidence in a child?

There are various reasons why a child may have low self-confidence. Like, they might have been bullied, they perform poorly in competition, they don’t score well at school, they are getting too much pressure from the teachers and parents, they have experienced a traumatic event in the past, they are surrounded by negative people, and more.

• What are five ways you can build children’s self-confidence?

(i) Talk to them and let them know you love them.

(ii) Avoid putting any pressure on them academically and athletically.

(iii) Be a good and confident role model to them.

(iv) Have occasional conversations with them about values, self-esteem and self-confidence. Let them know that they can be more confident. 

(v) Make sure they are surrounded by positive people.

BONUS

(vi) Take help from an expert in building your child’s self-confidence.