As parents we tend to put a lot of time, effort and money into developing our children to being the best little people they can be, giving them to tools to develop, learn and excel. However, don't forget to build up their self confidence.
While some children are naturally confident and outgoing, self-confidence doesn't happy by accident - it is another area that needs to be nurtured and developed by their interactions and experiences with those around them. Parents and caregivers tend to be the most vital people in developing a child's self-esteem but it's wise to not forget that confidence is something that we never stop developing, and a child needs to learn how to build that confidence themselves.
Building self-confidence really starts from a young age and comes through positive reinforcement and accomplishment rather than praise. There are a lot of things you can do to help build confidence in your child before they start school, and it all starts with establishing routines with your baby.
Start Establishing Routines Early
Establishing a routine as much as possible, as early as possible, gives your child structure and consistency of their day. This includes having set times for dinner, bath, cleaning their teeth, bedtime and everything else that goes on in their day. Routines help to give you child a sense of control about how their day is going to go, while still allowing for some flexibility for any changes that may happen - visitors or going out for dinner for example.
Not all children will stick to a routine though and that's ok. Developmental changes can throw their routines out, as can changes at day care, teething and more. As long as your child has some predictability about their day - who puts them to bed, where they go to bed, what days they go into care and so on, this all helps towards getting school ready.
Building Boundaries
Understanding boundaries is a big issue for many kids, particularly when they are in the toddler stage of pushing those boundaries to see how far they can go. However, it is a good idea to explain your boundaries and expectations with your child, as well as developing a consistent response so that your child is aware they have overstepped those boundaries.
Those responses will differ from child to child, but they should be consistent. This ensures that you child understands those boundaries when they meet new people or are in new situations.
Help Them Help Themselves
As much as we want to help and support our children, we can't do everything for them. Providing a child with age appropriate responsibilities helps to develop self-confidence. For younger toddlers this might be as simple as helping to take rubbish to the bin or packing away their toys, while for older children it may include feeding the pets, making their beds, cleaning a bathroom or even helping to cook a meal or some treats.
These responsibilities, and completing them, allows a child to feel proud of their accomplishments, particularly if you provide positive reinforcement. This feeling of accomplishment then allows a child to go on and feel competent, and successful, therefore growing their confidence levels.
Play Time
Going to "big school" is all about learning and responsibility so it's a good idea to remember to make time for play and quality family time away from that education setting. From an early age, play is one of the best ways to develop the confidence and self-esteem of a child, focusing on the effort and the processes rather than the outcome.
Early Childhood Education and Confidence
Another way to help develop your child's confidence is through early childhood education programs including a kindergarten program. These programs are taught through the Early Years Learning Framework which helps set programs to get children school ready.
Early childhood education can help your child become active in their own learning, and to develop the physical, social, emotional, cognitive and linguistic aspects needed to grow little minds. Early education programs start from as young as birth and are focussed on helping a child develop a sense of self, become a confident learner and to contribute to the world around them.
Treasured Tots promotes school readiness through their early education programs, ensuring children develop the essentials they need to start school - sharing, looking after their belongings, concentration and a sense of confidence and resilience.
If your child is due to start school, build on the confidence you have already instilled in your child, and book them into a kindergarten program at an early education centre.