Three Secrets For Raising Confident Kids

1. Make Eye Contact Every Day

New studies show that making eye contact with your baby will boost his or her learning and communication skills! 

It also causes their heart rate and their emotions to synchronize. 

Teaching kids eye contact from a young age can make a huge difference in confidence and feeling connected. 

A great way to start early is to make eye contact while nursing or to make a conscious effort to look into our baby’s eyes and greet them “hello” each morning.

It is never too late to start this daily habit!

2. Focus On Progress, Not Perfection

It’s important for kids to understand that their value never changes by what they do and do not accomplish. 

When we see a baby fall down as she is learning to walk, we would never question that she will one day succeed. Why would this change as children get older? 

Life is about learning. Those who are the most successful are those who keep trying. 

Focus your attention on your child’s effort, not their results.

“Wow, you worked so hard on that!” is a great motivator.  Remember to encourage, encourage, and encourage again.

As your child gets older, your voice will continue to cheer them on as you’ve modeled this positive self talk to them.

3. Teach Your Child to Say “No”

As a parent, it can be frustrating when a child learns to assert their independence and to start saying “no.” 

However, it is important to give your child a voice to say “no” to things that make them feel uncomfortable.

A good way to encourage a child to feel confident in their “no” is by respecting their boundaries yourself. 

One example of this is if you are tickling your child and they say “No, stop.” Instead of saying “It’s fun, or I’m just tickling you” you can respect their request and their body and stop the tickling.

By respecting their “no” you are teaching them to feel confident in standing up for themselves, and are also setting an example for them to respect when they are told “no” as well.