Confidence can be a game-changer in life. Think about it—if you’re assured in, and appreciate your abilities and qualities as a person, going through life tends to be a much more comfortable experience. It’s not something that people tend to just have though. It’s something that’s grown and developed. So how can you help your kids build their confidence?
Socializing
One of the biggest killers of confidence is worrying about what other people think. This often happens when we are uncomfortable in social settings. That makes learning how to socialize with others better a great way to help a child build confidence. Kids learn a lot by watching those they look up to, so make sure you’re modeling good social skills for them. You can also help them by roleplaying with them. Sometimes a lack of confidence is because we don’t know how to act in different situations. Roleplaying gives children a safe environment in which they can experiment and practice how they want to behave.
Swimming
A child’s physical capabilities and mindset can have a significant role to play in their confidence. Learning how to swim can lead to growth in both of these areas. Children who learn to swim learn a fun way to be physically active. It’s also a great way to develop a growth mindset since even the kids who seem more like fish than humans in the water started out not knowing how to swim properly. The earlier you start your child, the better. Early childhood swimming lessons focus on water safety basics. This will be essential in keeping your child safe so they can have fun with their friends in the pool.
Studying
Stereotypically, kids aren’t big on studying. At least, not in the traditional, “hit the books” sense, anyway. The thing is, the whole point of studying is to learn and acquire knowledge. If your child knows how to study, meaning they know how to learn things and find answers, they’re far more likely to feel confident even in the face of situations when they don’t know the answer. It’s the sort of skill that leads people to say that they may not know the answer, but they know how to find it. Suddenly, not knowing something becomes far less scary and far more comfortable.
You can’t build your child’s confidence. Because it’s an intrinsic characteristic, it’s ultimately something they have to build themselves. That doesn’t mean that you can’t help them out though. Help them learn skills that can facilitate the growth of their confidence in themselves so they can carry that confidence with them for the rest of their lives.
Read this next: 6 Signs Your Child is Lacking Confidence
