
Shaws Preschool teachers share tips on how parents can boost their child’s confidence, starting now.
As adults, we know how important self-confidence is, and how far it can take us in life. And now that we’re parents, we’re all about instilling self-confidence in our kids. After all, confident children make independent, capable and mentally tough adults, right? But here’s the thing. Self-esteem is an acquired trait, which means it doesn’t come naturally.
Nobody knows more about building self-confidence than the teachers at Shaws Preschool. A Shaws teacher knows that children’s confidence comes from knowing what they can and can’t do, and from being willing to give things a go, despite the possibility of failure. If you think your toddler needs help building a healthier self-esteem, here’s how the teachers at Shaws Preschool do it.
5 ways to boost self-confidence in toddlers
1. Give realistic and specific praise
While it’s great to give your toddler a big thumbs up every time they’ve done something good, you need to praise them for their efforts too. Yep, even if they weren’t necessarily able to complete a task, acknowledging that they’ve tried — and that they can try again — is a great confidence booster. Remember to specify, so the child knows exactly what he/she did correctly.
2. Allow them to be independent
Sure, it’s easy to give in to your toddler, especially when they’re so darn cute. But they have to learn to do things for themselves and take responsibility for them! Give them tasks or chores and let them do the problem solving. The more we encourage kids to handle tasks on their own, the more it empowers them to take initiative and prepares them for the future.
3. Teach them resilience
Toddlers need to understand that it’s OK to make mistakes or fail, as long as they learn from them. We should give them the opportunity to try new things and hold back on helping every step of the way. Doing so teaches them they’re capable of overcoming challenges on their own. And the more challenges they overcome, the more confident they’ll feel.
4. Give your child opportunities to display confidence
Whether it’s through sports, or speaking to a group of people, or even just approaching a new kid at the playground, we should give our toddlers opportunities to grow confidence. At Shaws Preschool, sport helps children learn to recognise their strengths and weaknesses. They learn to lose. They learn to use the strengths of others. And they learn that practicing or trying again makes them better.
5. Create a safe, nurturing environment
We need to be that safe space for our kids — where they won’t feel judged whenever they make mistakes or ask too many questions. By showing them that we love and accept them, no matter what, they have the foundation they need to become more confident in life.
Love the Shaws Preschool approach? Book a school tour to learn more about the school and see its campus IRL.
This post is in partnership with Shaws Preschool.