Confidence is vital for a child’s development. It helps them to take on challenges, make friends, and explore new things with excitement.
Unfortunately, many children struggle with confidence, which can affect their ability to reach their full potential.
If you want to unlock your child’s confidence, there are many things that you can do. We’ve gathered 69 ways to help you build up your child’s confidence so that they can thrive both now and in the future.
1. Give Them Compliments
Compliments are simple but powerful. When your child does something well, make sure to acknowledge it and give them a compliment. This will help them feel proud of their accomplishments and confident in their abilities.
2. Praise Effort, Not Just Results
While it’s important to acknowledge when your child achieves something, it’s equally important to praise the effort that they put in. This helps them understand that the process of working hard is just as important as the end result.
3. Encourage Them to Try New Things
Trying new things can be scary, but it’s essential for building confidence. Encourage your child to try new activities and hobbies, and be supportive of their efforts.
4. Teach Them to Take Risks
Taking risks is a fundamental part of growth and success. Encourage your child to take calculated risks and remind them that failure is not the end of the world.
5. Let Them Make Mistakes
Mistakes happen to everyone, and they can be valuable learning opportunities. Let your child make mistakes and help them learn from them. This will show them that it’s okay to mess up and that they can always learn from their experiences.
6. Listen to Them
When your child speaks, listen to them attentively. This shows them that their opinions and feelings matter, which can boost their confidence.
7. Encourage Them to Speak Up
Teach your child to speak up for themselves and assert their needs. This helps them become more confident and assertive.
8. Let Them Solve Their Own Problems
When your child encounters a problem, don’t immediately step in to solve it for them. Encourage them to think critically and come up with their own solutions. This helps them build problem-solving skills and confidence in their abilities.
9. Foster a Positive Self-Image
Help your child develop a positive self-image by reminding them of their strengths and encouraging them to embrace their unique qualities.
10. Teach Them to Stand Up for Others
Encourage your child to stand up for others who are being mistreated. This helps them develop confidence in their ability to make a positive impact in the world.
11. Let Them Have Choices
Allowing your child to make choices (within reasonable limits) helps them develop decision-making skills and confidence in their ability to make good choices.
12. Help Them Set Goals
Goal-setting is an essential skill for success. Help your child set achievable goals, and celebrate their progress along the way.
13. Let Them Express Their Emotions
Encourage your child to express their emotions in healthy ways. This helps them feel confident in themselves and their ability to cope with difficult situations.
14. Help Them Develop Positive Coping Strategies
Teach your child positive coping strategies, like deep breathing, mindfulness, exercise, and creative expression. This helps them build confidence in their ability to handle stress and anxiety.
15. Celebrate Their Successes
Celebrate your child’s successes (big and small) to help them feel proud of their accomplishments and confident in their abilities.
16. Encourage Them to Ask for Help When Needed
Teach your child that it’s okay to ask for help when they need it. This helps them feel more confident in their ability to solve problems and achieve their goals.
17. Model Confidence
Show your child what confidence looks like by modeling it yourself. This helps them develop a sense of what confidence is and how it feels.
18. Teach Them to Embrace Failure
Encourage your child to see failure as a learning opportunity. This helps them build resilience and confidence in their ability to bounce back from setbacks.
19. Teach Them to Take Responsibility
Teach your child to take responsibility for their actions. This helps them build confidence in their ability to make good choices and own up to their mistakes.
20. Read with Them
Reading together is a great way to build self-esteem. Books can provide a feeling of connection and help children explore new worlds, which can be confidence-boosting.
21. Make Time for Exercise
Exercise is not only good for physical health, but it also helps children develop confidence in their physical abilities and feel more capable.
22. Teach Them to Be Proud of Their Accomplishments
Show your child that it’s okay to be proud of their accomplishments. This helps them feel confident in their abilities and motivated to achieve more.
23. Play Games That Build Confidence
Games that encourage children to take risks and try new things can help build confidence. For example, playing strategy games or trying out new sports or activities can help children learn to take risks and be more confident in themselves.
24. Encourage Them to Help Others
Encouraging your child to help others can help them build confidence in their ability to make a positive impact in the world.
25. Help Them Build Strong Friendships
Strong friendships build confidence and provide support. Encourage your child to build friendships with people who are positive and supportive.
26. Encourage Them to Keep a Journal
Writing in a journal can help children express their feelings and build self-awareness. This can lead to increased confidence in themselves and their abilities.
27. Teach Them to Speak with Confidence
Teach your child to speak with confidence by using strong body language, maintaining eye contact, and speaking clearly and audibly.
28. Encourage Them to Try Again
When your child encounters a setback or failure, encourage them to try again. This helps them build resilience and confidence in their ability to bounce back from setbacks.
29. Teach Them to Manage Their Time
Help your child develop time-management skills, which can help them feel more confident in their ability to achieve their goals.
30. Teach Them to Manage Money
Help your child develop financial literacy skills, like budgeting and saving, which can help them feel more confident in their ability to manage money as they get older.
31. Encourage Them to Take on Leadership Roles
Encourage your child to take on leadership roles, like team captain or club president. This helps them build confidence in their ability to lead and inspire others.
32. Teach Them to Be Okay with Imperfection
Help your child understand that perfection is not attainable and that imperfection is normal. This helps them feel more confident in themselves and their abilities, even when things don’t go perfectly.
33. Encourage Them to Celebrate their Unique Qualities
Encourage your child to celebrate their unique qualities and embrace their individuality. This helps them build confidence in their identity and feel proud of who they are.
34. Teach Them to Stand Up for Themselves
Teach your child to stand up for themselves in a respectful and assertive way. This helps them feel more confident in their ability to advocate for themselves.
35. Teach Them to Ask Questions
Teach your child to ask questions when they don’t understand something. This helps them feel more confident in their ability to learn and understand new things.
36. Encourage Them to Be Persistent
Encourage your child to be persistent in pursuing their goals. This helps them build confidence in their ability to achieve their goals even when obstacles arise.
37. Help Them Develop Public Speaking Skills
Teach your child public speaking skills, which can help them feel more confident when speaking in front of others.
38. Encourage Them to Take on Challenges
Encourage your child to take on challenges, like learning a new skill or taking on a difficult project. This helps them build confidence in their ability to overcome obstacles and achieve their goals.
39. Teach Them to Take Care of Themselves
Teach your child to take care of themselves, like getting enough sleep, eating well, and staying active. This helps them feel more confident in their ability to take care of their physical and emotional well-being.
40. Encourage Them to Speak Up for What They Believe In
Encourage your child to speak up for what they believe in, even if it’s unpopular. This helps them build confidence in their ability to stand up for their beliefs.
41. Help Them Build a Support System
Encourage your child to build a support system, like a group of friends, family members, or mentors, who can provide support and encouragement when they need it.
42. Teach Them to Manage Stress
Teach your child stress-management skills, like deep breathing, mindfulness, and exercise, which can help them feel more confident in their ability to manage stress.
43. Encourage Them to Be Grateful
Encourage your child to be grateful for the good things in their life. This helps them build confidence in themselves and their ability to appreciate what they have.
44. Help Them Develop Empathy
Teach your child empathy, which helps them understand and connect with others. This can lead to increased confidence in their ability to build relationships.
45. Teach Them to Learn from Failure
Teach your child to learn from failure and see it as a valuable learning experience. This helps them build resilience and confidence in their ability to handle setbacks.
46. Encourage Them to Explore Their Passions
Encourage your child to explore their passions and interests, which can help them build confidence in their abilities and find a sense of purpose.
47. Help Them Manage Peer Pressure
Teach your child how to manage peer pressure, which can help them feel more confident in their ability to make good choices and assert their values.
48. Encourage Them to Collaborate with Others
Encourage your child to collaborate with others on projects, which can help them build confidence in their ability to work with others and achieve shared goals.
49. Teach Them to Manage Their Emotions
Teach your child to manage their emotions in healthy ways, like talking to someone they trust or engaging in activities that they enjoy. This helps them feel more confident in their ability to cope with difficult emotions.
50. Provide Opportunities for Creative Expression
Provide opportunities for your child to express themselves creatively, like through art, music, or writing. This helps them build confidence in their ability to express themselves and explore their emotions.
51. Encourage Them to Learn New Skills
Encourage your child to learn new skills, like a new language or hobby. This helps them build confidence in their ability to learn and master new things.
52. Help Them Practice Mindfulness
Teach your child mindfulness skills, like deep breathing and meditation. This helps them feel more confident in their ability to manage stress and focus their attention.
53. Teach Them to Set Boundaries
Teach your child to set boundaries in relationships and situations where their boundaries are being violated. This helps them feel more confident in their ability to assert their needs and protect their well-being.
54. Encourage Them to Volunteer
Encourage your child to volunteer in their community, which can help them feel more confident in their ability to make a positive impact in the world.
55. Teach Them to Manage Conflict
Teach your child conflict-resolution skills, like active listening and compromise. This helps them feel more confident in their ability to handle conflict in relationships and other situations.
56. Encourage Them to Pursue Their Dreams
Encourage your child to pursue their dreams, even if they seem difficult or unlikely. This helps them build confidence in their ability to pursue their goals and make them a reality.
57. Help Them Develop Healthy Habits
Help your child develop healthy habits, like getting enough sleep, eating well, and staying active. This helps them feel more confident in their ability to take care of their physical and emotional well-being.
58. Teach Them to Be Courageous
Teach your child to be courageous in the face of fear. This helps them build confidence in their ability to overcome obstacles and take on challenges.
59. Encourage Them to Think Critically
Encourage your child to think critically about the world around them and question things that don’t make sense. This helps them build confidence in their ability to think for themselves and form their own opinions.
60. Help Them Develop Self-Compassion
Teach your child self-compassion, which helps them be kind to themselves and build resilience in the face of setbacks or failures.
61. Encourage Them to Connect with Nature
Encourage your child to connect with nature, which can help them feel more calm and grounded. This helps them feel more confident in their ability to manage stress and emotions.
62. Help Them Develop Healthy Relationships
Help your child develop healthy relationships by teaching them about boundaries, consent, and healthy communication. This helps them feel more confident in their ability to build and maintain positive relationships.
63. Teach Them to Be Resourceful
Teach your child to be resourceful and find solutions to problems. This helps them feel more confident in their ability to handle challenges and obstacles.
64. Encourage Them to Seek Out New Experiences
Encourage your child to seek out new experiences and adventures, which can help them build confidence in their ability to try new things.
65. Help Them Learn from Positive Role Models
Encourage your child to learn from positive role models, like family members, teachers, or community leaders. This helps them build confidence in their ability to learn and grow.
66. Teach Them to Be Resilient
Teach your child to be resilient in the face of setbacks or failures. This helps them build confidence in their ability to overcome obstacles and bounce back from setbacks.
67. Encourage Them to Be Their Best Self
Encourage your child to be their best self and strive for excellence in everything they do. This helps them build confidence in their ability to achieve their goals and be successful.
68. Help Them Develop a Growth Mindset
Teach your child to have a growth mindset, which helps them see challenges as opportunities for growth and learning. This helps them build confidence in their ability to learn and develop.
69. Show Them Unconditional Love
Show your child unconditional love and acceptance, which helps them feel confident in themselves and their ability to be loved.