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10 Oct 2016

Building Confidence In Our Littles

Confidence is a big part of how and who our children grow to be. I love that we have a fairly confident child, but not every child is and sometimes, I wonder how we can build up or continue an already growing confidence. I'm sharing 5 of the ways we choose to build confidence with a little in our home.


Surround them with positivity.

It's kind of common sense that anyone, of any age, thrives when surrounded by positivity versus negativity. Minis should be in and around people or places that are positive. Think people that tell them "yes" or "you can do it" and places that encourage them to exercise their growing independence.

Praise both efforts and successes.

Efforts need praising just as much as successes do. Of course, children need to know how they can do something better or that they've not quite got it yet but it's crucial they feel they're "getting close" or that they've "almost" got it. Constructive praise is just as effective, while building up the confidence that they are at least making progress.

Let them help.

Letting children help you, is far more powerful than we often give thought to. Being allowed to help screams "you can do it/they think I can do it," without even having to say it. For minis that are still really small (like our guy) helping with things such as; bringing items down the hallway, putting toys in the bath, throwing clothes in the laundry, or grabbing things out of the fridge are easy and fairly risk-free.

Encourage them to try.

We can all remember a time where we really didn't want to try something, maybe out of fear or nerves, and our parents pushing or "forcing" us too. ENCOURAGING children to do something in a softer manner can really make them feel brave and confident enough to give it a go. Often, once tried, they will feel confident in themselves to do it again without being prompted.

Monkey see.

Much of what our children are willing to do for themselves, are things they've witnessed us do. This applies to both things we want them to do, as well as otherwise. R's newest obsession is trying to plug iPhone chargers into everything from the fridge to his teddy bear. Safety plug have been installed generously. But when we want him to build up confidence in doing something, especially something he might be a little resistant to at first, I try to remember that if he sees me doing it or I offer to do it by his side, he soon grows the confidence to do it himself.


As much as we need to work on telling ourselves, "actually - I can," on a regular basis, we need to instil it in our children as well.

"To raise a child who is comfortable enough to leave you, means you've done your job. They are not ours to keep, but ours to teach how to soar on their own."

XO, Olivia Murray.
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