Parents in McKinney, Prosper, Little Elm and Frisco, TX call us weekly for a solution in building their child's confidence through Martial Arts. Here are a few tips on what you can do at home to help...
1. Step back - Start with helping your child become competent in the world. Step back and let your child take risks, solve problems, and finish what they start.
2. Over-praising your child does more harm than help. I know you are your child's biggest fan, but please refrain from handing out compliments as if they are sticks of gum. Self-esteem comes from feeling loves and secure and from developing competence. By overpraising your child, you're lowering the bar for them. If you continue to tell them how fantastic they are, they will not longer push themselves. Plus telling your child he's the best, the smartest, or most talented will set them up for disappointment down the road.
3. Let them help around the house. In building self-esteem, kids need opportunities to demonstrate their competence and feel their contribution is valuable. Even as a toddler ask them to help around the house such as in helping you cook or set the table.
4. Teach resilience. In life, there are setbacks, failures, criticisms and pain. Use these hurdles as learning experiences. If your child fails at something, talk about what steps he can take to do better next time. Children will learn that setbacks are a normal part of life and can be managed.
5. Last, but not certainly least, encourage sports. Through sports, children learn they can practice, improve, and achieve. They also learn to recognize their strengths, accept or improve their weaknesses, handle defeat and expand their circle of friends.
These are only 5 of 100s of tips we can offer. If you would like more information on how we can help build your child's confidence through martial arts, please call to schedule a complimentary session.