I’ve been thinking a lot lately about confidence and how to encourage my girls to be confident in their abilities. I’ll be honest, as of right now, this is not something I worry about much with Amelia. She is bold and daring, she will try just about anything. She falls, tumbles get’s hurt and after a few snuggles and an ice pack, she’s back at it. On the other side is Aria, my timid one. She worries and fears failures. She cries if she’s not first or doesn’t win. So I’ve been thinking about how to build confidence in kids.
Knowing the right way to go about this can be hard. I mean, I definitely don’t want to push them too hard, but I also don’t want too hands off. There’s such a fine line of giving them the space to learn and grow, verse hovering over their every move. Anyway, here is a look at a few things we have been doing. Sometimes I see progress in the effort to be confident in trying new things, but not always. However, I will say I see the determination is both of them to continue to try something until they have figured it out. Maybe it’s the tools we have been utilizing, or maybe it’s just a personality thing.
Tips for Building Confidence in Kids
Routine – Kids love routine. Not only does it help gjve them consistency and a sense of security. It helps them learn. Aria gets so proud when she knows what’s coming next and start doing that task before I even say something. Amelia has been learning this too and when she does something before we ask even Aria will give her affirmation she’s doing something right.
Get on their level – Kids are small, so bend over or sit on the floor with them. Talking with them on their level helps them feel like an equal. Sure there are times you need to parent and do your thing, but the majority of the time it’s about being with them and teaching them. No better way for them to learn with you than being able to see you in your eyes. Plus, I find I get a lot of extra hugs and kisses…definitely doesn’t hurt!
Don’t always intervene – As parents we don’t want to see our kids struggle, or even fail. But, by not intervening in some of these situations it teaches your child that sometime we fail, lose or something just takes work. They will learn to have confidence when faced with challenges and are likely to succeed. Also, don’t be afraid to let them see you fail at something, just don’t make a big deal about it. Seeing you deal with a failure helps them feel better.
Affirmations – This can be a tricky one. We definitely don’t want to go over board. Praising every small accomplishment can loose the affect of celebrating some of the bigger accomplishments. But, it is important to let them know when they’re doing something good. In fact, I often ask Aria to give her self-affirmations. Helping her understand what she likes about herself teaching her about self love. Building her confidence in her own abilities. I mean don’t we all struggle from time to time with this? But, by doing this I often have to give an example of my own affirmation, so it’s a win-win!
These are just a few tip on how we are building confidence in our girls. Of course we all have our days and they just aren’t going to be as confident as normal, but we all have these. But, keeping things consistent and continuing to encourage them is the best way to get started and learn what you’re kids need.
I know there are many other ways out there. I’d love to hear some of your tips and how you’re building confidence in your kids in the comments below!
Thanks so much for stopping by. Hope you Get Out There and have a Gorgeous Day!
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This is such a nice read, and I couldn’t agree more dear, especially on not intervening your kids. As parents, we want to guide our kids as much as possible, teach them everything we know. However, it is equally important for them to discover and understand things themselves. That’s how they learn and grow as individuals.
Jessica | notjessfashion.com