Every parent’s dreams of having a confident children. However, not all children grow up with that trait. Self-confidence is not a trait that is directly inherited from parents. Therefore, parents must teach it to their children from an early age. Then, later the child will not grow up to be shy person when socializing.
Around us, we often see children who are low-esteem, shy, fearful, and eventually become closed individuals to anyone. In fact, self-confidence is important for everyone to achieve success and happiness. Parents play a major role in making children less confident or making children have high self-confidence.
Building self-confidence in children is not an easy matter, but it does not mean it is impossible. Children who lack self-confidence are not enough to just be given support in the form of words that are continuously spoken. Continuous parental affection and attention certainly provide the main contribution so that children’s self-confidence grows optimally.
In addition, the child’s environment and social interactions that support the growth of self-confidence are important requirements that cannot be ignored. A child’s self-confidence is obtained from what he thinks about other people’s assumptions or assessments of him.
To restore a child’s lack of self-confidence, parents or teachers (who accompany the child at school) can map out the causes of the child’s low self-confidence. The causes of a child’s lack of self-confidence are very complex. However, they have one common keyword, namely a childhood that experienced the wrong parenting pattern to the point of suffering from violent trauma.
Parents need to be open-minded to look into their child’s past and at the same time correct themselves to what extent their and others’ attitudes, words, and actions towards their children have caused their self-confidence to be very low. The following methods can be done by fathers, mothers, and teachers in building and increasing children’s self-confidence.
- Be a positive mirror for your child.
- Play with your child and focus your full attention on him/her when playing together.
- Call your child by his/her name because it gives a special impression to your child.
- Apply the carry over principle for your child’s potential.
- Build your child’s self-confidence at home before he/she mixes outside the home.
- Don’t give your child bad or negative labels.
- Often give realistic praise, laugh together, and don’t laugh at him/her.
- Choose and monitor the influence of your child’s school.
- Start directing your child to have a sense of responsibility according to his/her abilities.
- Encourage your child to express his/her feelings and avoid telling him/her to be quiet.
So, loving fathers, mothers, and teachers, are you ready to accompany your children to grow with optimal self-confidence and eliminate their low self-esteem? Keep up the spirit! Never stop showering them with sincere affection, okay?
Translator: Ratna Safitri
Author: Dewanti Nurcahyani
Editor: Teuku Zulman Sangga Buana
Reference: Ratna Megawangi and Wahyu Farrah Dina. Membangun Percaya Diri. Depok: Indonesia Heritage Foundation.
