How to Make My Child Feel More Confident 

Confidence is important because this better lets children: 

  • Try new things and try again even after a mistake 
  • Get along with other children 
  • Gain courage when facing a challenge 
  • Expand their comfort zone 

These better capabilities can accelerate their learning and support their physical, mental, emotional and social development. Confidence will also better allow them to have fun every day whether at home or at an early learning centre. 

How to make your child feel more confident 

Confidence is closely related to independence. When we teach our children how to become more independent, we’re also teaching them how to feel more confident. That’s because we’re empowering them to make their own choices. We also empower them to think about their decisions and positively deal with the consequences. 

It’s also related to giving children some sense of control. If they have this feeling, they know that they can act on their surroundings and somehow influence the outcome. In contrast, if they don’t have that sense of control, they will feel helpless and powerless. This will heavily discourage them and avoid participating in many activities. This will reduce their playtime which can affect their learning and developmental pace. 

To help children with their developmental pace by helping build their confidence, here are some ways: 

  • Let your child choose (which toy to play, which meal to eat, where to go next). This is a great way to let your child gain some sense of control. It’s also an amazing way to let children establish their independence and weigh their options. 
  • Let your child say ‘no.’ It’s also a way for children to establish their independence. Also, allowing children to say ‘no’ can mean they’ve thought through it. They might have imagined the consequences or they realised it won’t be worth it. This helps practice their imagination and critical thinking skills. 
  • Let your child explore the environment. Allow children to try new things and explore their immediate surroundings. They might run here and there and touch different surfaces. This will help build their confidence and courage even when exploring an unfamiliar environment (such as the big school).