Self-love, self-acceptance and self-esteem are some of the most important facets of a healthy and functioning human being, but they are often overlooked, to their detriment. When people don't have a strong sense of self, it's hard for them to trust themselves, to have self-awareness, for them to find their purpose, or be truly happy.
For teenagers figuring out who they are, navigating a world full of social media platforms and ever changing trends, it becomes so important for parents to help nurture that sense of self-confidence in their own children. When they are young and growing is when we can really build a solid foundation of confidence so that they go into adulthood with it. It is our job to help prepare them for a world that often makes people question and doubt themselves, that way they won't get knocked down when things don't go their way, and they can recover from setbacks better. So what ways can we help raise confident and well-adjusted people? Here are a few ways to help nurture a strong sense of self-confidence in our kids.
Nurture Their Individuality
Psychologists have stated that the people who have the most confidence are those who have nurture and celebrate their own unique sense of individuality. People who are confident have developed a rich inner life and have found a sense of stability in what makes them special and great individuals with something of value to contribute to this world. One way we can do this as parents is help to nurture their individuality. Individuality can be nurtured in so many different ways. We can do it by encouraging and participating in the things they care about, whether it's gaming, sport, art or fashion.
We can buy the products that allow them to nurture their creativity or we can help them express their own unique way of dressing through the clothes and jewelry we buy them. One way you can do this is through kids clothing subscription boxes that give them multiple options for things to wear and try out. kidpik is a popular and loved fashion subscription box which delivers a minimum of 3 personalized outfits to your door at intervals of your choosing, from 4 to 12 weeks. With each box, your child gets 7 items, including shoes. When you sign up, your child can do a fun 3-minute style quiz which helps them get an idea of what they might like to wear. They can experiment with different styles and outfits, find pieces that truly align with who they are, knowing that their parents celebrate the things that make them special.
Don't Plant Self-Esteem Issues
Young people are incredibly sensitive and very often the things people joke about them or say in jest actually impact them and make them question themselves. As families, learning to be careful with things like criticizing and even making fun of our children is critical. One small thing we say can end up becoming a seed of self-doubt that goes deeper and erodes their self-confidence. Home is where our children need to feel the most loved, heard and accepted. When they start to feel like they don't have the love and acceptance of their families, that's when they start to experience a drop in their self-esteem. Very often the insecurities people carry with them into adulthood started in the words of their parents and loved ones. Words have meaning and as parents we need to use them to build our children up, not tear them down. There are ways to correct our children when they are wrong without making them feel bad about themselves. Just remember to do this with love and compassion at all times.
Lead the Way
Children model what they see their parents do, and parents who are confident and have a healthy level of self-esteem help their kids grow up the same way. If you want your child to grow up to be confident, well-adjusted, caring and resilient, we first have to be resilient, well-adjusted and caring parents. We're all on our personal journey with our self-confidence, but if we keep making the effort to do the self-development work, our kids will see that in us and grow up with the same priorities.
Teach your children that mental health is just as important as physical health so that they always remember to take care of their hearts and minds too. Often when mental wellness slips through the cracks, that's when self-confidence starts to become a struggle. By modeling the kind of behavior we would want our children to have, that's how we help them become people who move through the world with their heads up high and a lot of love for and trust in themselves.
