Why Parents Should Build Self-Confidence in Kids

Why should parents and caregivers focus on building self-confidence in kids? Best-selling author Michele Borba, Ed.D., has answers and tips on how to do so. Dr. Borba is an internationally renowned educational psychologist and an expert in parenting, bullying, and character development.

Why Parents Should Build Self-Confidence in Kids

Most people think that good self-esteem is their child’s path to happiness and success. That’s why we constantly tell our kids, “Believe in yourself,” “You’re special,” and “You can be anything you want.” We give them trophies and gold stars for breathing (or just about). We solve any problem and never let them fail. But our well-intended efforts are reaping dismal returns. Today’s kids are more depressed than ever, and their narcissism (“I’m better than you”) has increased more than their self-esteem.

Dr. Michele Borba says parents need to redirect their focus away from self-esteem because there’s little evidence that boosting self-esteem increases academic success or even authentic happiness.

“All those participation trophies were for nothing,” says Dr. Borba, author of Thrivers: The Surprising Reasons Why Some Kids Struggle and Others Shine. “Instead of focusing on self-esteem, we need to help our kids develop self-confidence. Once they recognize what they do well, they’re motivated to use those strengths again and again.”

building self-confidence in kids

Self-Confidence Quiet Understanding

Self-confidence is that quiet understanding of “who I am.” It nurtures inner assuredness and appreciation of one’s unique qualities, strengths, and interests—and serves as a child’s customized road map to peak performance. It’s also one of the seven essential character strengths Dr. Borba has identified that make children Thrivers. In her book, she offers parents and educators a new playbook to help them instill in kids the skills that build resilience and help them succeed.

Real self-confidence is an outcome of doing well, facing obstacles, creating solutions, and snapping back on your own, says Dr. Borba. Fixing their problems, doing their tasks, or making things easier for them only makes kids think: “They don’t believe I can.” This is why we as parents must unleash ourselves from hovering, snowplowing, and rescuing.

So, what can we do?

“Identifying our children’s ‘Core Assets’ can be one of our most important parenting tasks, and it is one of the key ways to start instilling a sense of healthy confidence in your child,” says Dr. Borba. “Core Assets are her strongest positive qualities, character traits, and signature talents that can help her thrive. They can be personality features such as friendliness, being a good listener, or being a smart collaborator. They can be character traits like empathy, grit, and kindness. Or they can be talents and gifts like music, acting, and original thinking.”

Just remember, Core Assets are those that you actually recognize in your child—not strengths you hope she possesses or those you see in yourself.

building self-confidence in kids

Building Self-Confidence in Kids

Here are three ways to instill a sense of healthy confidence and stretch your child’s thriving potential.

1) Identify your child’s Core Assets. Over the next few days, tune into your child and identify her strengths, interests, and natural gifts. TALENT describes six common characteristics of Core Assets when exhibited in an individual. Core Assets feature a child’s:

T = Tenacity. The child shows determination and perseverance to succeed at the task involving her asset.

A = Attention. The child is easily absorbed in the task and focuses longer than when compared to other strength areas or Core Assets.

L = Learning. The child learns quicker and easier when using the Core Asset.

E = Eagerness. The child is motivated and energized to be an active participant in the task and doesn’t need adult prodding or rewards.

N = Need. The child is possessive about the Core Asset: “It’s my thing.” The asset is a confidence booster, relaxer, or fulfiller of a positive need.

T = Tone. The child sounds excited, proud, or joyous when talking about the asset.

2) Acknowledge your child’s Core Assets. Identify a few core strengths that you want your child to recognize about herself right now. Make sure they are legitimate and already present, and then acknowledge them frequently. Be specific, so your child knows exactly what she did to deserve recognition.

“You’re patient: you always wait until your turn and never get flustered.” “You’re tenacious: you hang in there and never give up!” “You’re kind. I noticed how you asked that older woman if she needed help.” Kids need to recognize their gifts before they want to put in any effort to improve.

3) Carve time. Many kids say there just isn’t enough time to spend on an interest they love if it isn’t considered “necessary” for school or sports success. We all want to help our children prioritize the skills we think will help them succeed in the world…but by redirecting their time, we can inadvertently be quelling their true interests and passions. In fact, studies show that the average American kid gives up their talent because they don’t have enough time to practice their gift.

Check your kid’s schedule: Is there one activity that can be cut that could free up thirty to sixty minutes a week for the strength? Can time playing video games, texting, or TV be reduced? Let’s help kids find time to cultivate their natural gifts while ensuring it’s the gift they love!

“Self-confidence grows when kids know who they are and can apply their special gifts,” concludes Dr. Borba. “Our role is to respect our kids for who they are and then unleash their assets, so they can develop to their fullest potential. If we are to succeed, we must let our kids lead us—and that is one more way we can raise a generation of strong, confident, internally-propelled kids who thrive!”

Michele Borba, EdD

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Provided by Dottie DeHart
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Second photo by Andrik Langfield on Unsplash
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