Sometimes I wish we could bottle up the authenticity of the three year old that feels beautiful in rainboots, a Halloween costume, and bed head. It’s their go-to outfit and they rock it. They feel great in it and they don’t care what anyone else thinks!
As they grow up, they seem to become so much more aware about who is looking at them. That inherent confidence starts to fade and they want to fit-in rather than stand out. Sometimes fitting in comes at the cost at making sacrifices to their true personality.
We can hone in on that natural quality by empowering children and showing them its okay to share what makes them unique. We can do this by:
Encouraging them to recognize their strengths and special qualities: ask them what they like, what they feel good about, and what about their personality they love.
Focus on working hard rather than praising what comes easy: instead of always noticing what they’re “good at” emphasize the importance of working towards goals and the grit it takes to get there.
Celebrate their victories and their losses: successful moments and times of defeat are fleeting moments. A loss doesn’t take away from who they are, but it can be a chance to learn and grow. We don’t want failures to chip away at their self-worth.
Encourage them to share their opinion and show them it matters: Listen to them, ask them questions, hear their reasonings. You’d be shocked at the beautiful ideas they come up with and how they get their opinions!
Have them feel comfortable in owning who they are: confidence doesn’t mean they’re vain, conceited, or narcissistic. True confidence comes from feeling comfortable in your skin and knowing who you are. Have them compliment themselves or what they’re grateful for about themselves.
If your child could benefit from a safe space to be themselves, learn healthy ways to deal with big emotions, and practice social skills -, please check out our empowerment groups. We teach the basics of building self-confidence and self-esteem so they feel empowered to be themselves even in difficult times.