Helping Your Child Become More Confident

Confidence is important. It helps us overcome challenges and take risks, allowing us to move forward through life in a positive manner. Confidence doesn’t come naturally to everyone, especially when we’re young, which is why it’s important for parents to help their children where possible. I have teamed up with an independent day school in London to offer you some advice.

One fantastic way to help your child become more confident is to encourage them to join an extra-curricular activity. This will help them develop some interesting new skills, which will contribute to improved self-esteem. Often, a lack of confidence comes from an ability to believe in oneself, which can be tackled through increased knowledge and skills. What’s more, depending on the type of activity, it will allow your child to meet new people and make new friends, also contributing to improved confidence. 

Try and help your child overcome their insecurities. Teach them that nobody is perfect, and we all have different strengths and weaknesses. You can do this by praising them on a regular basis and refraining from being hard on them when something does happen to go wrong. For instance, if they have studied really hard for an exam but then received a poor grade, focus on how proud you are that they put the effort in, rather than your disappointment that they didn’t do as well as you hoped. Knowing that they have your support no matter what will help them feel comfortable in their own skin.

You should also try and give your child some responsibilities around the home, to show them that you trust them and have faith in their abilities. If they think you don’t believe in them, they will find it hard to believe in themselves. These responsibilities will be age dependent, but can be anything from setting the table before dinner to taking the dog for a walk around the neighbourhood. Once your child successfully completes their tasks, they will feel a sense of accomplishment and pride that will allow them to tackle more complex tasks with confidence in the future.