Lots of kids are naturally confident; they enjoy talking to others, making friends and trying new things. Other children suffer from shyness, which makes school and other areas of their life feel quite intimidating. Fortunately, there are ways to help a child become more confident and parents can help them overcome their fears. I have teamed up with an independent day school near Oxford to offer you the following advice.
Even adults sometimes struggle to start up a conversation with someone new, so imagine how our kids must feel. To help your youngster feel more comfortable with speaking to others, you could suggest a few conversation starters for them to use when the time comes. Compliments and questions always work well, such as “I like your shoes, where did you get them?”. It might be worth discussing the elements of a healthy conversation with your child so that they feel a little more prepared. For instance, they should know to listen closely when someone else is talking and never interrupt.
Familiarise your child with social interactions as much as possible from an early age, with both adults and children. However, try and mix it up and arrange play dates outside of your home so that your child becomes comfortable with talking to others in various different environments. School playgrounds are usually huge, busy and loud, which can feel quite overwhelming for children. With that said, it’s definitely worth helping your child make friends outside of school so that they feel more confident when the time comes. Perhaps you could encourage them to join some extra-curricular activities.
It’s also a good idea to give your child a sense of responsibility by setting them small, achievable goals each day. This could be something like setting the table or helping prepare the evening meal. When your child completes one of these goals, they will feel accomplished and more confident in their abilities, especially if you praise them for it.
Essentially, the trick is to help your child experience new things, achieve their goals and build lots of strong relationships with people they can rely on. All of these things will help them feel self-assured and give them the confidence they need to tackle any challenges that life throws their way.