*This is a contributed post*
Lacking confidence is a problem that affects millions of children. And it can impact their development and happiness in a very negative manner. Whether you’ve spotted the signs or simply want to prevent it happening, this is one area of parenthood that cannot be ignored.
The issues can come from many different sources, which is why you must know how to overcome them all. Because a confident child is far more likely to enjoy a positive development en route to achieving his or her goals.
Here are seven points of focus for helping your child clear those hurdles.
#1. Encourage Academic Skills
Struggling academically can be frustrating for a child and will often encourage them to stay quiet in the classroom in a bid to go unnoticed. This lack of confidence inevitably spread to all aspects of their lives too.
Dyslexia and other learning difficulties shouldn’t be punished. They should be embraced with open arms. There are various tools that can be used to overcome those issues and get your child back up to speed. Alternatively, you can seek additional private tutoring. Either way, success at school is essential for their confidence as well as their prospects.
If the problem is a severe one, there’s also the option to seek a specialist school that will provide the support your child deserves. Their comfort is everything.
#2. Promote Social Development
Aside from academic talent, children must learn to develop communication and social skills. Without those, making friends will become difficult for your son or daughter. Moreover, it can lead to immense shyness in public situations.
In turn, this can lead to stutters and other speech impediments. While you can’t always prevent those issues, doing everything you can to make your child feel comfortable in public is vital. While there are many contributing factors, increasing their vocabulary is central. With greater understanding, they’ll have a far easier time partaking in interactions
This doesn’t have to take place via educational activities either. Playing games, telling stories, and enjoying outdoor adventures will all have a positive impact.
#3. Enhance Appearances
Kids can be cruel, and a little teasing over things like a bad haircut is almost guaranteed. Those small one-off issues aren’t a major problem, but ongoing bullying can completely knock a child’s confidence. Young impressionable minds will soak in the words of their peers, and it can make them feel very ugly.
First and foremost, you should teach your child to love their imperfections. Nonetheless, some issues must be attended to as quickly as possible. For acne sufferers, gels such as duac, can be bought online to reduce the damage quickly. Simple ideas like finding aesthetically pleasing glasses can make a world of difference.
Children should know that appearances aren’t everything, and should never feel a need to look perfect. Still, the correlation between body image and self-confidence cannot be ignored by any parent.
#4. Avoid Financial Insecurities
There’s no point in ignoring the fact that money matters. Kids become aware of financial status at a very early age. The harsh reality is that you can’t always improve your household income. However, you can prevent your child from suffering confidence issues rooted by finance.
Birthday’s are special occasions for all children, and organising a quality party will bring many benefits. Showing off on that one day can have a positive impact as young kids relate those events to a family’s financial worth. In truth, though, the reward of seeing your child smile on their big day should remain the main focus. Taking the necessary steps to reduce monthly expense can free up more cash for treating your child throughout the year too. While surviving is the only real issue for you, understanding how it impacts your child is key.
#5. Encourage External Skills
Every child has a skill or passion that makes them special. Given that confidence in one area breeds confidence in other aspects, you should look to utilise this for positive outcomes.
Those external skills could come from a host of different sources. Whether it’s tapping into a child’s musical talent or footballing abilities isn’t overly important. Those activities keep your son or daughter happy before, during, and after the event. Frankly, this is one of the most beautiful things that any parent will ever unlock.
Lessons from those passion can often be transferred to academic problems to aid their academic development. Moreover, those pastimes can become a focal point of new friendships with like-minded children.
#6. Allow Them To Fail
Success breeds confidence in children. However, it’s equally important that they develop a fearlessness against failure. After all, the fear of failing is often what stop kids from taking risks or attempting the things they want to do.
Resilience and the ability to bounce back from a setback is crucial for children. The road of life can be bumpy at times, and teaching kids that it’s OK to make mistakes will set them up perfectly for the journey ahead. When they expect everything to go perfectly, even the smallest hiccup can cause hugely negative impacts.
Having the confidence to accept failure and keep pushing forward can separate the good from the great. Do not forget it.
#7. Boost Your Own Self-Confidence
All children learn from their parents, especially when it comes to personality traits. With this in mind, it’s imperative that you learn to lead by example. Improving your self-confidence will bring many personal rewards. But your child’s increased happiness is easily the best.
If you have suffered long-term confidence issues, seeking help from a psychiatrist could be the best solution. Meanwhile, enhancing your body image is sure to bring positivity to your outlook on life also. Aside from influencing your child to feel more confident, it highlights the idea that hard work is rewarded.
Confidence isn’t the only key attribute to bringing up a healthy and happy child, but it does have a huge impact. Get this aspect right, and those foundations will be stronger than ever.