Seema Thobhani is director of Kidz4Mation which aims to change the lives of millions of children worldwide by giving them the best basis for a fulfilled successful life. Here, she gives tips on raising confident children:
Do you think your child would be happier and more successful if they were more confident?
Parents who consciously and proactively help their child to develop emotionally and build life skills such as trust, confidence, self-esteem, positivity and empathy alongside their education and technical skills may in doing so be reserving a seat at the top table in life for their child but nurturing one’s offspring in this way puts the spotlight on parents. Parenting is for most, a cocktail of joy, laughter, fun… chaos and high stress levels.
The 3 A’s of Positive Parenting:
Acceptance – accepting children as they are and not comparing them to others helps enormously in raising their confidence.
Availability – The gift of time is the biggest gift parents can give a child because a child wants more time and love than anything else from their parents.
Appreciation – all human beings want approval. It is very important for you as a parent to appreciate children publicly and criticise privately. Children often misbehave because they want attention from their parents. So appreciate their good behaviour and apprehend their bad behaviour!
7 proven tips to boost your child’s confidence:
Stand Up For Themselves – Encourage them to stand up for themselves and for what they think.
Use Confident Body Language – Encourage them to use their body and eyes: stand up straight and look people in the eye when they talk. To talk in a level tone.
Stay Calm – Always encourage them to try and stay calm. If they don’t feel calm, they can have a little walk or take some deep breaths to calm themselves down.
Encourage them to say what they want – When they are not happy doing something, they should say so. They don’t have to agree all the time and should be able to say what they feel.
A lesson from a mistake – It’s OK to make mistakes! Things often turn out well after going wrong a few times but it’s really important to learn when things go wrong. Sometimes letting children make a mistake is more beneficial than jumping in and taking over. By doing this you are making them dependant on you.
Walk with Confidence – Others are more likely to respect them and not pick on them if they act, talk and walk with confidence
Avoid comparison – This is the worst thing a parent/carer can do to their child. Comparisons will hurt them and remind them of their weaknesses. Let your child know that you appreciate their uniqueness which will help their confidence level.
If started from an early age, confidence building will help children become more fulfilled and a positive adult!
Kidz4Mation specialises in overcoming children’s shyness and fear of speaking in public. Its Shyness and Lack of Confidence Workshops have helped over thousands of children in raising their confidence.
Seema Thobhani is mother of two daughters and director of Kidz4Mation.
At 8 years old Seema had her first experience of charity work distributing blankets among the poor families on the cold streets of India and with her parents. She witnessed tears of joy and gratitude and was grateful her parents allowed her the experience.
Seema loves to do art and crafts with her daughters. She plays badminton with her husband and can always be heard singing or humming.
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Samantha
Tuesday 10th of July 2012
I am a Certified Self-Esteem Coach for Children and the components you mention are essential for raising a child with high self-esteem. We are our children's first teachers and yet we do not have the support to educate us, as parents, in supporting our children to develop high self-esteem. High self-esteem is one of the most important, yet underrated ingredients to success and happiness and so I thank you for putting this important message across.