Building your child's confidence in everyday moments
Help your child feel valued through everyday encouragement, small responsibilities and time together. Find practical ideas to try at home and share with us.
Building your child’s confidence starts with everyday relationships. Taking an interest in their play, listening to what matters to them and giving them manageable things to try can help them feel valued. They do not need to be the best at an activity to enjoy taking part.
For families at Cuddly Bear Day Care Centre in Woodlands, home and care provide different chances to practise. Tell your child’s educators about a new interest, something they are proud of or a task they are finding difficult.
How can I encourage my child without putting pressure on them?
Notice something specific about what your child has done. You might say, ‘You kept trying until that piece fitted,’ or ‘You put your cup on the table yourself.’ This gives your child a clear idea of what you noticed.
A child can also need comfort when a task has been frustrating. Acknowledge that it was hard, offer help and leave room to try again another time. Encouragement does not require pretending that every attempt felt easy.
Which small responsibilities can children try?
Choose a task that fits your child’s abilities and stay nearby to help. Young children might enjoy choosing a book, putting a toy in its basket or finding their hat. Older preschoolers might help set out cups or gather belongings for the next day.
- Offer a choice between two manageable tasks.
- Allow extra time when your child is learning.
- Show one step, then let them have a turn.
- Thank them for their contribution.
Our what-to-pack checklist can give you a starting point for preparing a bag together. The adult still checks that everything needed is packed.
How does belonging support confidence?
Family stories, familiar routines and shared activities remind children of the people who care about them. A goodbye ritual, a bedtime story or time to talk can provide a regular moment of connection.
If your family uses more than one language, keep those connections part of daily life. See our guide to supporting your child’s home language. We also invite families to share interests and cultural information through the belonging and identity form.
What can I do when my child compares themselves with others?
Bring the conversation back to their own experience. Ask what they enjoyed, what felt difficult and whether they want help. Comparing siblings or friends can distract from the different things each child is learning.
The same approach can help with movement and games. Our guide to enjoying active play suggests ways to follow a child’s interests without making every activity a competition.
Share what helps your child
During orientation, tell us about your child’s favourite activities and the support they find reassuring. Our Kindies room for children aged 3 to 6 gives families another place to discuss growing independence and preparing for school.
Visit our childcare centre in Woodlands at 273 Ewen Street. Book a tour or call (08) 9244 1812.
Adapted from the self-esteem resource supplied for our family newsletter. Further reading: Raising Children Network’s self-esteem and confidence in children.
