Raise a Confident Child By Adopting These Simple Tips (Part 2)

Eyinade Eweje

Continued from part 1.

6. Quit Being Forceful
Some children feel uncomfortable in certain social situations or unfamiliar environments. When parents make them participate against their will, it could make them more anxious and likely to act withdrawn. If your child feels uncomfortable or terrified to interact or carry out a task, try to encourage them. If that doesn’t do the trick, don’t force it. Try again next time.

READ ALSO: 8 Ways to Raise A Wholesome Child

7. Stop Playing Spokesman/Superman
Don’t always run to your child’s rescue. They must learn to defend and speak up for themselves whether you’re there or not. Don’t be quick to answer questions directed at them. Rescuing them all the time may hinder them from developing confidence in themselves.

Start from your home – teach conflict resolution such that when they have issues with siblings, they don’t always come running to mummy or daddy. Let them learn to stand up for themselves.

Also, identify other ways you’ve been overprotecting or overindulging them and start backing off gradually. Once they learn to face their fears, tolerate frustrations, solve little problems independently and stand up to their peers, they’ll be a lot more confident and you would have empowered them to face tougher realities ahead.

8. Everyone Needs Help Sometimes
Help your child realize everyone, including you, needs help with one thing or the other sometimes, therefore it’s smart to speak up politely to request for it. The sooner they know that no one is an island and asking for help is not a sign of weakness but courage, the earlier they will learn the tricks of confidently soliciting for help whenever in dire need.

9. Quit Comparing, Lose The Labels
An anonymous writer once said, “Every child searches for an identity and once he finds it, clings to it like a trademark.”

In the process of comparing your child to his peers or reprimanding aggressively, parents often dish out labels. Labelling children with such names as ‘dumb’, ‘slow’, ‘silly’, ‘stupid’ or anything of that sort, will invariably make them have a poor perception of themselves. Lose the labels and start initiating subtle ways to help them overcome their weaknesses instead.

10. Encourage Self-expression
Don’t prevent pretend play or any activity that fosters self-expression. Even if it constitutes a complete nuisance to you, let them play with their creative toys the best way they deem fit. Arrange for them to participate actively in rhymes or poetry renditions, arts and crafts, music, dance, choreography, acting, sports and other extra-curricular activities at school and be there to offer support.

Having family time where everyone takes turns reading, sharing jokes, stories, and so on, in front of other members of the family is also a great idea.