When you feel confident you feel you can do more, when you lack confidence you subconsciously hold yourself back, and this is the same for children. To enable them to reach their full potential through their developmental ages and right the way through to adulthood, we need to nurture their self belief and confidence and make them feel good about themselves. Self esteem I believe to be a childs passport for life: It will allow them to live with a positive attitude, a will to try, to succeed, to live healthily , with self belief and respect for others. Even more importantly is, a healthy self esteem will encourage them to strive socially, intellectually, physically and grow into well-rounded and happy people!!
Gok Wan is helping our teens feel good about their bodies and self esteem which is great, but where is the help for our toddlers, pre schoolers and primary ages. As this is the most crucial when you think that this is their developmental age! Where they learn about themselves and others around them.
The best ways to promote confidence is through:
· Making your baby/child feel loved and valued with affection and love.
· Be a good role model , be confident, positive and happy yourself.
· Give quality time to each child. Play with them, read with them,etc
· Help your child realise their talents. Develop these talents and applaud their strengths
· Give your child responsibilities. Their own special jobs within the home. So they see they are an asset to a group.
· Encourage your child to be expressive and show their feelings. Releasing inhibitions is a great way to tackle low self esteem and will develop confidence. Communication skills and socialisation will become second nature to a child whom expresses their own feelings.
· Do not give your child attachment issues, show your baby/child that they are safe cuddling other people and not just mum and dad.
All of this can be achieved through the creative arts! Here are some ideas of what and where!!
· Reading creative books with your children is a great method for boosting self esteem and confidence. It gives you and your child quality time together which will make them feel special. It is allowing a child to learn words and language. It will improve your childs reading skills and will also allow conversation and feelings to be discussed in relation to the topic in the book. If you choose a book that is fun but also targets the issue of being brave, being confident, trying your best, not giving up etc a child will take that onboard. To help your child boost their self esteem and confidence I recommend the The Magic Sunglasses . This wonderful book written by Auriel Blanche discusses this very theme and there is also a workshop and interactive website to help children and parents dealing with esteem. www.themagicsunglasses.com
· Join baby toddler groups, these are great for social interaction. Musical toddler and baby groups are ideal. They allow children to be creative and have fun in a safe and relaxed environment. At the same time as building confidence and self esteem, they explore the musical instruments, nursery rhymes and action songs. Through doing so they learn to build the co-ordination skills, develop physically, socially and emotionally. A music class encourages interaction with other children, group activities, socialising, joining in and sharing. It also allows them to express themselves and a fun way to escape to a fun musical world away from the worries them may have. They may make friends and learn musical talents aswell. All in all they will feel valued as part of a group, gain self esteem and happiness as they are applauded for getting actions right, knowing the songs, playing the instruments and playing the games.It is also quality time with their parents so they will feel special. One I recommend is Musical Minis, they are all over the country . http://www.musicalminis.co.uk
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