How can you tell if your child lacks confidence?

Hmmm. This one I ponder because I have two daughters, aged 10 and 1. Whilst it’ll be a while before I have too much to worry about with my younger daughter, I am compelled to ensure my older daughter doesn’t go down the road that I did.

So how can a parent tell if their child lacks self confidence? I have no idea!

I suppose it might be a case of watching how they interact with others, how they go at school, and the types of friends they have. She is only 10, so the “bad” years are yet to come – hopefully her self esteem will be high enough then so she doesn’t make the bad choices I did!

So how does a parent help build a child’s self esteem?

I think there are a few things you can do:

– Praise them for doing well

– Never, EVER put them down

– Always offer encouragement

– Allow them to do things for themselves (as they get older, allow them to make their own lunch, if they want to cook you dinner, let them, and make sure it’s age-appropriate)

– Punish them for doing the wrong thing where appropriate (we usually ban her from using the computer for a week, or we might take something else away)

– Don’t go over the top with punishment or praise that matter. You need to keep it at a good balance.

– Tell you love them and appreciate them – Often!

A child that knows they are loved and appreciated will always have more confidence than a child who experiences no love or appreciation in the home.