How to Build Confidence in Children?

Written ByShradha Raj
Updated on30 Jan, 2025
Min Reading11 min read

On a scale of 1 to 10, how confident are you ? 

If your answer is somewhere in between 8-10, congratulations you are confident enough to never look down on yourself and doubt your capabilities. 

Have you ever thought about what it would be like to make somebody feel good about themselves and teach them values that affect their life positively? 

That’s what our parents and caregivers do to shape our confidence

As it is believed by many that confidence is one of the most important things that a child requires for his emotional and psychological development. 

It acts as a foundation to future endeavours and enables children to take challenges more constructively and form healthy relationships in their life. It also defines the way they will be pursuing their goals with determination

When a child is confident he or she is more likely to embrace themselves for a new experience and communicate effectively with the people involved in the surrounding which help them in maintaining reselling in the face of all setbacks. 

And we can never neglect the fact that parents and caregivers play a very important role in nurturing confidence in their children as it is an essential trade and has a profound implication for a child’s overall well-being and growth

Confidence is considered as a building block to holistic development and the significance of confidence in a child’s development can never be overstated or neglected. 

From early childhood to professional life confidence helps children in forming beliefs about their abilities and self worth which further define their life and it is completely based on the interactions they have with their familiar friends and the society in which they are growing.

These beliefs shape a child’s outlook on life and influence their decision making process which equips them with confidence to navigate their way through the complexities of life as they grow up with positive and proactive attitudes. 

Undoubtedly, confidence contributes to a person’s personal and professional lives in a very significant manner. Before we discuss how, let’s discuss the “what” :  importance of confidence in a child. 

Importance of Confidence in a Child’s Development

Confidence is very important to children as it contributes to their emotional stability and self reliance.

When it is about a child’s life it is important to encourage them to trust their abilities and take calculated risks as it will allow them to explore new opportunities and learn from the environment around them. 

Children who have a great sense of self confidence often perform better in every aspect of their life whether it be academically or socially because with that confidence comes a sense of security which helps them in expressing themselves and asserting their needs confidently and freely. 

The emotional security that a child is provided with the help of confidence creates a foundation for lifelong learning adaptability and perseverance in them which also impacts a child’s mind health by reducing anxiety and self doubt in them. 

Here’s a blog on : Tips For Students For Personality Development

A child who is confident in his or her behaviour exhibits leadership qualities and inspires others to be like him creating a repel effect of positivity in the social circle which encourages resilience and allows them to recover from failure and setbacks very quickly without being discouraged or disheartened.

There are several long term benefits to confidence and children as it extends well into adulthood equipping them to handle work life stress and maintain a healthy relationship in their life. 

Confidence also equips students to handle stress and advocates for their life where they are more confident to see opportunity and navigate through the challenges of life with Grace and determination. 

Moreover confidence enhances decision making skills in students where it enables them to make and trust their judgement where they can take responsibility for their own choices with a growth oriented mindset which encourages lifelong learning and continuous self improvement in them.

Strategies to Build Confidence

1. Encouraging Positive Self-Talk

Positive self talk is a powerful tool for building confidence in children as it focuses on teaching children how to maintain the strength and accomplishment where parents can help them in developing a positive self image of themselves. 

Encouraging children to replace negative thoughts like I can’t do this with animation such as I can try my best to reinforce the belief in their abilities which reduces self doubt to a very remarkable level. 

Parents can model positive self-talk by verbalizing their thought process during a challenging situation. 

For example, they can consider saying this is difficult but I will figure it out which demonstrates resilience and problems solving mindset and focuses on growth rather than the setback. 

It is believed that children learn from their parents in the first place and they try to imitate them and over time children will internalize these patterns and learn to approach challenges with more optimism and determination than ever. It is another way of incorporating real education with real time involvement

2. Providing Opportunities for Success

Children gain confidence by experiencing success and grabbing opportunities. It is suggested for parents to provide children with all the age appropriate tasks and challenges to make them more confident

These tasks and challenges assigned to children will allow children to develop skills and achieve their goalsdeveloping a sense of accomplishment in them. 

That task assigned to children can Be anything whether learning a bike,completing a puzzle, or performing a household chore, each success no matter small or big, it will reinforce their belief in their abilities and make them confident in their skills and will power.

Along with everything else that is to be done, it is equally important to set realistic expectations which keep them connected to their learning journey and will allow them to celebrate small victories

Parents can teach children that they can and they should avoid focusing solely on outcomes; instead, they should firstly acknowledge the effort and progress made.

“Shift the spotlight from results to growth by celebrating efforts and milestones—because the journey shapes the destination.”

This approach of optimism and progress will help children associate confidence with persistence and hard work rather than perfection, which is subjective and absurd at the same time.

3. Fostering a Growth Mindset

What is a growth mindset?

And how actually will it affect a child?

Answer to both is that : A growth mindset is a belief. 

A belief that values abilities and intelligence of a child and it can be developed through effort and learning

It is very important to teach children to embrace challenges as opportunities for growth instills resilience, self-confidence and a love for learning

Parents can encourage them to view things from a very different perspective and can suggest to them to consider mistakes as valuable lessons rather than taking them as just failures.

Parents play a very important role in nurturing that growth mindset in students, they can take out time for their child and praise their efforts over innate talent and motivate them to experiment more and explore knowledge. 

We often see parents saying “ you’re so smart.” but rather they can try saying and addressing their child with words like “you worked hard to solve that problem, keep it up.” 

The subtle shift of language in conversation will encourage children to focus on the process and recognize the value of perseverance in them. 

Role of Parenting in Confidence Building

1. Practicing Active Listening

Practicing active listening is something that comes basic to every person and is fundamental to a well-rounded individual. 

Especially for children, as active listening shows children that their thoughts and feelings are valued and they are a huge part of the conversation whenever and wherever. 

Take time for the children and listen to them without interrupting or judging them. 

This validation that parents provide to the children can boost their self esteem and reinforce a sense of worth in them. 

Parents are responsible for creating a safe space for their children which can only be done with open communication where they can facilitate and initiate talking to their children by asking open ended questions and responding to them with empathy. 

For example if a child shares a situation where he has been in a fear or concern it is important for parents to acknowledge their feelings and support them rather than dismissing their emotions and suggesting them to be brave and to act smart. 

This approach builds trust in students and strengthens the parent child Bond.

2. Avoiding Over-Criticism

It is suggested for parents to avoid any kind of over criticism and not to use any excessive or harsh words towards their children as it can Erode their confidence

Constructive feedback is necessary but it is to be delivered with kindness and encouragement to focus on creating a safe environment for the children to grow and not to be under pressure. 

It is suggested for parents to focus on specific behaviour and dealing with it strategically rather than labelling the child as bad or lazy. 

Not all criticism or feedback is to be considered good then need to be a balance between constructive feedback with positive reinforcement to help the child feel motivated and supported at the place. 

For example if a child is struggling with her task it is important for parents to acknowledge their efforts and provide them with guidance and not just get after them to make them feel unworthy. 

When the focus shifts on a behaviour and pattern it creates an environment where with proper guidance children can grow and this approach brings in a sense of competence in children which encourages continued effort.

3. Supporting Interests and Hobbies

It is suggested for parents to support their children in their interest in their hobbies and other co-curricular activities that they want to pursue. 

Parents are supposed to encourage their children to explore their interests and boost their confidence by allowing them to develop that skill and talent which would be important for them to achieve a milestone in their life. 

Whether it is painting or playing a musical instrument or participating in a sport it is very important for children to pursue their passion as it builds a sense of identity and accomplishment in their life. 

Parents support their children’s entrance by providing them with all the necessary resources and attending their performances.

We can simply make them connected to their parents and will motivate them to work extra hard which will create an environment where they can express enthusiasm for their endeavours more confidently and happily

The validation coming from parents reinforces their self work and motivates them to pursue their goal with much confidence which ultimately results in better performance.

The blog talks in detail about the Top 5 Benefits of Co-Curricular Activities for Students 

Overcoming Challenges

1. Handling Failures Gracefully

Challenges are inevitable and especially when it comes to raising a child and helping them grow it becomes even more difficult to deal with it. 

Just like challenges, failure is a very important part of life as a teacher’s children how to handle failures with increased overtime. It becomes even more crucial to build confidence with this learning. 

Parents can tell children that failure is not a reflection of their worth but an opportunity where they can learn and grow. With all their mistakes they can come back to the problem more strong. 

Parents can try sharing stories of your own feedback which will help them in normalising the experience for them and understanding it from a different perspective

Suggested for them to encourage their children to reflect on what they have learned from their failures rather than just looking at it from a setback point which will help them improve their performance for the future. 

The perspective shift to being an optimistic growth oriented person empowers them to face challenges with confidence and builds resilience in them.

2. Addressing Bullying or Peer Pressure

The journey of building confidence, the major problem that a student has to face is bullying and understanding peer pressure which significantly makes a huge impact on a child’s learning journey. 

By creating open communication channels for children where they feel comfortable sharing their experiences it can become more convenient for parents to address all these issues related to bullying and peer pressure.

If in any case your child  is facing bullying, start by addressing the issue and validating the feeling

It is very important to make them comfortable and be honest as it provides them a reassurance to further collaborate and talk this out with teachers and counsellors who can guide you into the right direction and will address the situation more professionally. 

Now when things are sorted on the outer front, equip your child with strategies to handle peer pressure, such as assertive communication and setting boundaries

3. Teaching Problem-Solving Skills

It is very important to teach student problem solving skills as it is very essential for them to build confidence and independence

Building confidence helps children in identifying challenges and brainstorming solutions which will equip them with all the right set of skills which will be needed for them to evaluate the outcomes of their decisions

But providing proper guidance to the children will allow students to learn the importance of problem solving and analytical skills which will help them in decision making and will allow them to take ownership of their own process and learning journey.

For example in a situation where the child is struggling with a school project instead of doing the work for them, guide them through the step and break the task into smaller chunks so that it is achievable, attainable and manageable.  

Further in case, if they are looking for some resources, provide them this and help them in managing their time effectively so that they do not run behind the deadline. 

Here’s a detailed blog on : How can Students Improve Time Management Skills ?

These experiences will build competence in children and prepare them for the future challenges which they can then tackle with more confidence.

Conclusion

Building confidence and children is a difficult process as it requires a lot of patience, empathy and intention. 

Parents can try different strategies to build confidence in children and in this journey they have to understand what role they play in building confidence for their children. 

The task can be made convenient and easy to achieve by encouraging positive self-talk and providing them opportunities to succeed which will build a growth mindset in them and prepare them for the future

It Is very important for children to overcome challenges and parents need to guide them and create an environment for the children where they feel valued and capable which will equip them with all the necessary skills required to handle failure and address bullying and will further strengthen the resilience and self assurance in them. 

There are certain long term benefits to confidence that extends beyond their childhood. It helps students in becoming a well rounded individual who is capable, adaptable and is a fulfilled adult

By investing time into the child’s life, parents can build confidence for their lifetime journey which will enhance their life and will empower them to succeed in their life in a more meaningful way.

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Shradharaj

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Shradha is a content writer at 21k school, with over 3.5 years of experience in social media marketing, content writing and SEO. At 21K School, she’s involved in research, editing, and writing for blogs for school. Shradha has completed her graduation from symbiosis centre for media and communication.

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