Raising a confident child is harder than it may seem.
No matter what you decide to do with your life, confidence is key. And yet, confidence isn’t something we are taught in schools. It is something we learn from our experiences and our upbringing.
Confident people generally become that way because they either had good role models that taught them to believe in themselves, or they did the work in therapy to try to get to a good mental place. Regardless, self-esteem and confidence go hand in hand, so it’s an important thing to think about in terms of how we raise our kids.
Here are a few ways you can instill confidence in your children from a young age.
Encourage personal style– People who are confident generally have a good understanding of who they are, and what their style is. Encourage your kids to figure that out, even if that means dying their hair with Kool-aid during the summer. Giving your child freedom to find out who they are will make them much stronger in the long run.
READ MORE: The Importance of Confidence
Sign them up for team sports. You knew I was going to mention this, right? Team sports are one of the best ways to build confidence in your child, because they will gain powerful skills to use throughout their life from the camaraderie of the team, the competitiveness of the sport, or both.
Support exploration and new skills. Always encourage your child to try new things, whether they want to study marine biology, or try watercolor painting. Developing new skill sets builds confidence, and learning to disengage from things they don’t enjoy is something every human should know how to do.
Express your love. A child who knows they are loved no matter what has a good foundation for future confidence. Show your love in whatever love language you speak, and praise your child for trying new things, regardless of whether they succeed or fail.
Teach them to say no. One of the most confident things a person can do is say the word No. Teach your child from a young age to know their limits and desires, and to communicate freely about them. Being able to assert what they do and don’t want is a hallmark of a confident person, regardless of their age.