Confidence is an important trait to instill in children for many reasons. Confident children are more outgoing and therefore successful in more areas of life. Confident children tend to be outgoing and have a stronger support system and social network. Confident children have more drive and tend to apply themselves to more positive parts of life. Confidence helps children of all ages be swayed from giving in to peer pressure or doing things that they do not want to do. Confidence results in less bullying, eating disorders, depression, and low self-esteem. Confident children are less likely to be the victim of violence by their peers or strangers. Confident children turn into confident adults.
Let’s make one clarification — confidence does not necessarily mean arrogance, nor does it always manifest as an extrovert. You can definitely have introverted children who are full of confidence and humility.
Okay, we will take a pause on how important instilling confidence in children is and offer some suggestions on how to go about doing it! Follow along today as we give you some ideas on how to make your children more confident.
It cannot be said enough or overstated that the old adage that we grew up with — “do as I say, not as I do” — could not be further from good advice. We all know that children do not learn or do what they are told, they emulate what they are shown. If you are full of self-doubt, have low self-esteem, or put yourself down, your children will catch on to this and not only have less faith in you but also begin to doubt themselves. Insecurity is contagious, as is confidence. You have to be a positive example for your children. So, if you have low self-esteem, give it a boost or at least fake it for the sake of your children.
There is no better way to instill confidence in a child than to build their self-esteem. Tell them how great they are and how much you love them. Encourage them to try again, even when they are not great at something. Tell them you are proud of them and brag about them to your friends and family. Make telling them positive things about themselves a part of your normal routine — while you are brushing their hair in the morning, tell them “you are strong, you are smart, you are brave, and you can do anything you put your mind to!” — that way, they learn to believe it, and even in your absence will know it.
A great way for anyone to get a confidence boost is by learning something new. Learning a new skill proves what we are capable of and can afford us an opportunity to express ourselves in different ways. For children, learning new skills, no matter how trivial they may seem, is a new experience and helps to build their toolbox of knowledge, making them more well rounded and confident.
Getting your kids involved in any sport is great for helping instill confidence, discipline, and teamwork. Martial arts, specifically, offers children all that in addition to proving a child’s physical and mental strength to themselves. Martial arts training is so much more than fighting moves but helps to teach the practitioner self-confidence, self-control, self-discipline, as well as offers exercise and a physical outlet to express themselves. Participating in martial arts training will also help your kids:
At Infinity Martial Fitness, we offer martial arts training for kids of all ages. We even offer after-school programs, summer camps, and birthday parties to help foster your child’s confidence and discipline. Enroll your kids today!
