*This is a collaborative post*
If a child lacks confidence, they may struggle to perform well in school and make friends, and they won’t want to take risks or try new things. There’s nothing wrong with being shy, but low self-esteem may limit your child in more ways than one. With this in mind, it’s important for parents to try and help their children become more confident. Of course, this is often easier said than done, which is why I have teamed up with a private school in Hertfordshire to offer you the following advice.
Promote Independence
Your child will never have the confidence to stand on their own two feet if you are always there to save the day. Obviously, you want to protect your child from harm or emotional turmoil but coddling them will make them reliant on you. Instead, try and give them some space. Let them make mistakes so they learn about cause and effect and start to become more confident making their own decisions. They will also start to understand what they are capable of, which will give them a well-deserved self-esteem boost.
Encourage Ambition
Chat to your child about their hopes and dreams and what they’d like to achieve. Encourage them to be ambitious and give them some achievable tasks that will help equip them with the skills required to accomplish their goals. If they can see that you have faith in them and you’re optimistic about the future, they will likely adopt the same attitude.
Suggest Extra-Curricular Pursuits
Try and get your child to pursue some sort of hobby, because these are great for helping with confidence. For example, if they join a football team, they will not only become proficient athletes (which will help them feel good about themselves) but they will also make some great friends that will allow them to feel supported. They will also learn to accept constructive criticism and see it as a positive. All of this will help them become more confident.
