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Raising Self-Confident Children by Nikki Willhite I stand in awe of my sons. That is a pretty powerful statement for a parent to make. However, never in my wildest dreams as a young girl could I have imagined having children of such character and accomplishment. What a joy it has been to watch these young children turn into young men, and loving husbands and fathers. Every parent wants strong and confident children. It is pretty hard to mess up a good child, but it takes work to help them become even better. HERE ARE SOME TIPS TO HELP YOU INSTILL SELF-CONFIDENCE INTO YOUR CHILDREN. - The most important thing you can give your children is love. When your parents love you, it is a lot easier to feel love from other people. It is a lot easier to feel good about yourself.  It is easier to make friends and feel accepted. - Let your children make as many of their own decisions as possible, even when it comes to selecting their own clothing at a young age. <Back to School Clothes Shopping >   Making decisions builds self confidence. Children also feel more self-confident if they are comfortable with their appearance. - Help your children develop their talents, hobbies and interests. Expose them to team sports, music and hobbies. Let them choose which activities they want to do.  Set limits on the amount of time in front of the television. - Boost their confidence with travel. When the other kids start talking about Disneyland, they don't want to have to remain mute. Give them interesting things to talk about by providing them with interesting activities. -  Work teaching moments into your conversations with your children. Most of all, teach by example. If you are kind to other people, they will follow your example. If you freely admit your mistakes while standing tall, they will learn that people aren't perfect and be more accepting of themselves and their shortcomings. Everyone has something to teach from their lives. Share personal experiences, and let them learn what they may. Read to your children. They will learn new things, expand their imaginations, and learn many lessons of life. They will expand their vocabulary, and generally do better talking to others. - Children as well as adults have problems. If you don't listen to them, you won't know what they are. As adults, we are always looking for people to listen to us. Sometimes it is just because we need to talk. Other times we don't understand why things are happening, and we need counsel, sympathy, or just feel  the need to vent. Children are no different. Let them know that you care about their lives. Take their problems seriously. Talk with them, and help them work out a solution to their problems. - Help children cope with their fears. I had one son who at a young age was given a long quote to memorize and recite in public. He insisted he couldn't do it, but I persuaded him that he could do it. We worked together, and when the time came, he recited it flawlessly. He had a lot more confidence in himself after that day.  Later, when schooling and other activities required extensive memorization, he again wavered, thinking he wouldn't be able to do it. We worked together on how to memorize by association, and he became a whiz at it. - Empower your children with self-confidence by teaching them self-reliance. Children need to know how to cook, take care of their clothing, and handle emergency situations. I credit the Boy Scouts  for teaching my boys survival skills, and building their self-confidence to take care of themselves. My children were blessed with a wonderful Scout leader who took them out, rain or shine (that's big, in Seattle) every month. In the winter they learned to make snow caves and camped in the snow. In the summer they learned swimming skills, canoeing, kayaking and much more.  They have a treasure trove of memories of fun times and activities. < The Rambo Hike> Do the best you can with your children. If you don't do it, who will? Your children are your biggest responsibility, and your biggest blessing. About the Author: Nikki Willhite, mother of 3 and an interior design graduate, has been writing and publishing articles on the topic of frugal living for over a decade. Visit her at www.frugalhappyfamilies.com - where you will find hundreds of frugal living tips and articles. Frugal Happy Families- more than just money!

 

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