Nurturing Confidence in Your Toddler
With two young daughters, nurturing confidence in them is something that I feel is one of my most important responsibilities as a parent. It is such an important building block for later life, one that will allow my girls to face the world with confidence and to meet life’s ups and downs with resilience, joy, and self-assuredness.
So how do I instill in them a healthy sense of self? Here are a few tips that have helped me–and my girls– along the way.
-Tracey Frost Rensky
Self-confidence is an essential ingredient for all aspects of your child’s healthy development and a key component for school success.
Self-confidence is an essential ingredient for all aspects of your child’s healthy development and a key component for school success.
How does self-confidence develop? In a large part, a child’s sense of confidence is shaped and nurtured (or not) by those who care for him. Babies learn that they are separate and unique individuals through their interactions and experiences with others.
Nurture self-confidence through everyday interactions and establish routines with your child. When events are predictable and happen (as much as possible) in the same way, around the same time each day, your child will feel safe, secure, confident and in control of his world.
Allow your child to play! Play is how children learn about themselves, other people, and the world around them. Play also helps your child learn how to problem solve, which also boosts confidence.
Help your child learn to be a problem-solver. Don’t rush to solve your child’s problems every time. Be there to scaffold (support his learning), if need be. Allow your child to feel successful on his own.
Give your child responsibilities. Your child benefits from feeling useful and needed. Jobs should be age-appropriate. Your child can help you sort laundry, feed pets, pick up toys.
Celebrate your child’s successes. Praise the process, not the outcome.
Encourage your child to try to master tasks he is struggling with. Children learn by doing. Break down difficult tasks into manageable steps to help your child feel in control and confident.
Be a role model. If you model persistence and confidence, your child will learn to be persistent and confident from you!
by seedlingsgroup
