Self-confidence is a trait that most parents would want in abundance for their teens. It is a trait that helps a teen pass through the most difficult situations of his life with ease. It is something that makes him a sound and smart decision-maker. However, it is important for parents to understand that the wish for self-confidence is not one to be granted immediately. You will have to put in a lot of hard work and patience to build confidence in your child.
Traits of a Confident Teenager
A confident individual, be it a teenager or an adult, always stands out from the crowd, because he is fearless. Besides, he also possesses some of the qualities enlisted here. To name a few, he:
- Is assertive
- Possesses leadership qualities
- Has the ability to stay firm
- Has good decision making skills
- Is independent
- Is emotionally strong
- Has good social skills
Ways to make your Child Confident
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Share interests and activities:
Your level of involvement with your child can either boost or break his confidence. Engage in activities together, share interests and have meaningful conversations.
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Encourage extra-curricular activities:
Expose your child to different things like sports, dance, music, art, etc. Find out about your child's interests and passion. This journey of exploring and discovering passion can bring a lot of confidence in your child once he reaches his goal. But remember, this is a journey that needs to be taken together, by both of you.
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Involve his friends:
Friendship holds a lot of importance to teenagers. You will need to play an active part in your child's life by interacting with his friends. If you find a friend who could be a bad influence on your child, talk to your kid about it. Share with him your thoughts about his friend, caution him, but never try to impose your judgment on him.
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Reward positive behaviour:
You should never let go of a chance to praise your child’s good behaviour and results. It will boost his confidence.
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Let mistakes happen:
Don't scream, yell or get annoyed when your child makes mistakes. In fact, take that as an opportunity to educate him on learning from his mistakes and never repeating them again.
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Stop comparing:
Every child has his own potential of doing things. Your neighbour's son might be doing better than your son, but understand that no child is the same. Acknowledge and appreciate your child's achievements and encourage him to do better.
Self-confidence, once developed in your teen, will take him to places. Your encouragement and support is all that is required to boost his confidence. So it is important that you provide him both, in the best possible way.
