Stand Tall and Stand Proud

We live in a world where the pressure to “fit in” is tremendous, magnified now by mobile and social media, fast food, consumerism, crime, and other daily challenges. Many believe the “peer approval” demand is affecting our children in the worst ways possible. Thanks to technology, peer pressure and bullying aren’t just limited to the school or the playground anymore. This has created an even greater need for us to teach our children the values of self- confidence and self-respect – demonstrated in belief and action!

Experts state that self-esteem and confidence are two of the most important traits that can shape a child’s entire future and help them succeed. Consequently it is of utmost importance for parents to encourage and teach their children to respect themselves and others from a very young age. Studies have shown that children with low self-esteem and poor self-image are much more likely to become victims of peer pressure and bullying. On the other hand, children with high levels of confidence tend to have better coping skills, higher resiliency, and better focus on their tasks for longer time periods.

Boost their confidence

In order to boost your child’s confidence, teach them to accept themselves as they are. Tell them that they are unique and nothing ever good comes out of comparing themselves with other people. Focus on their inherent talents and encourage them to pursue and persevere in their interests. Take a step back and allow your child to make decisions, face problems, and take risks. Tell them that failures are a part of our existence and they only help us learn and grow wise from experience.

Also, avoid overpraising your children. This does more harm than good as you’re basically teaching your children to be incompetent and mediocre. Being good at something takes time, therefore, encourage your child but don’t make them lower their standards or give up prematurely. Teach them to be humble about their strengths and to work on their weaknesses. Above all make sure that you communicate to your child that you love them unconditionally and that your love for them isn’t based on their achievements.

Encourage an activity

Encouraging and presenting opportunities to engage in interesting, constructive activities
is a good way to boost a child’s self-esteem. One of the best year-round sports/hobbies is karate for kids. It cannot be stressed hard enough how beneficial martial arts for children can be for growing confidence, positive outlooks, and amazing capabilities. Karate is more than just a form of self-defense and healthy lifestyle. It is an ancient art form deep rooted in the purpose of helping people lead more disciplined lives. Starting your kids early with karate can do wonders to their self-esteem. When children learn karate, it teaches them to defend themselves against both the physical and mental threats that they might face throughout their lives.