Helping Your Child Grow in Confidence
It is sometimes difficult for children and teens to feel confident. This is often even more difficult when a child or teen is grieving. At COJ we are confident that parents and guardians can assist their grieving children to find their confidence and grow into their true, authentic selves.
Here are some recommendations on how to help build your child’s confidence, even in the midst of grief.
Model the fact that it’s okay to make mistakes. Making mistakes is a part of life, but when we believe that perfection is expected of us, making a mistake can be a huge hit to an individual’s confidence. When you or your child makes a mistake, do your best to stay calm. It might even be beneficial to say aloud, “That’s okay; I can try again!” When a child sees you accepting your mistakes, they will be more likely to accept their own mistakes.
Make note of how you talk about yourself. Do you berate your appearance or your actions in front of your child? Do you find yourself saying, “That was so dumb!” or “I just don’t like the way that I look!” Your child is way more likely to be critical of themselves if they see you being critical of yourself.
Accept your child for who they truly are. Perhaps you always imagined a child who would be an athlete, but you ended up a child who would rather paint all day rather than run around the soccer field. It can be hard when we have unmet expectations regarding our children, and yet by letting your child engage in what they truly are interested in and become who they truly feel that they are, you are helping your child to gain a better sense of self and build more confidence.