15 Things You Can Do for Your Child to Build Confidence

Life

7.FACE FAILURE

Bad things happen, and one of the most important skills in life is knowing how to deal with them. Don't deny failure or try to bury it—talk about it and work through it together. Getting a bad grade, not making it onto a team—these are things that will always happen and just putting on a smile or passing around blame does a disservice to your child and will make them ill-equipped to deal with adversity.

8.GET THEM INVOLVED IN THE ARTS

My kids got into theater by accident (music and/or theater were required in middle school), but it stuck and ended up being the best thing that ever happened to them. Performing, being in front of people and learning to work in a group has helped them build up their confidence tremendously—and led to them discovering their passions.

9.BE HONEST

Kids are smart and intuitive, so don't try and sugarcoat everything. Use your discretion to present facts in a way that won't induce fear, but they need honest answers to their questions to find their way in the world and to develop their own internal compass for right and wrong. For example, if you're discussing our current political climate, make sure to present facts and not just opinions or hyperbole.

10.WORK ON THEIR SPECIAL TALENTS

Everyone has a special talent, so encouraging and nurturing it in your child will be a huge confidence booster. Maybe it's their organizational skills, or their ability to whistle, or their passion for putting together an outfit in the morning. Who knows—the kid who loves helping you in the kitchen could be a future culinary star.

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