We all want our children to feel confident in life and not shy away from new challenges or experiences, but it takes time for them to build self-esteem. Confident children don’t let fear get in the way of reaching their goals as they’ve gathered the tools they need to push through difficult situations and not let setbacks derail them. If you want to help your child become more confident, you might find this advice from an international school in North London helpful.
Resist the urge to rescue
Intervening too quickly when you see your child struggling with something can be detrimental to them, as they won’t learn that they can rely on themselves to solve problems or overcome hurdles. It might feel natural to try and save your child, but actually, you’ll be doing them a disservice. Letting them figure things out for themselves rather than jumping in to help will allow them to develop independence and realize what they’re capable of. Encourage your child to take small risks without the threat of you criticizing or correcting them, as this will build up their self-esteem and help them feel more confident about tackling future challenges.
Give them some autonomy
Letting your child make their own choices and decisions will give them confidence in their own judgment. Of course, you will have to make certain decisions for them as a parent, but allowing them some control over smaller matters, like what to wear at the weekend or which piece of homework to do first, will help build their sense of self-agency. This will stand them in good stead when it comes to making more important decisions later down the road, such as what A Levels to choose or which career to pursue, as they’ll feel more confident in their ability to make good choices.
Practise optimism
Being able to look on the bright side of life will help your child feel more confident as they’ll be less likely to view setbacks or disappointments as catastrophic. It’s important to help children keep a sense of perspective, and remind them that they’re in control of their own fate and so they should focus on what they can do about a situation rather than dwelling on the negatives. This will help avoid them feeling defeated by failure or disappointment, and instead focus on how they can still achieve their goal.
Promote problem-solving
Next time your child is struggling with something, prompt them to try and think of possible solutions instead of attempting to rescue them. This will get them used to thinking for themselves and not relying too much on others to solve their problems. If there’s something they really want but aren’t sure how to get, brainstorming potential solutions will give them control over the situation and increase their confidence in their ability to overcome obstacles independently.
It might go against your natural instinct as a parent to leave your child to their own devices, but giving them some freedom and autonomy is vitally important for building their self-esteem, confidence, and resilience.
