EDITOR ’ S PICK
• Help them connect with something bigger than themselves . In her book , Kid Confidence , author Eileen Kennedy-Moor suggests that the key to confidence is to reduce selffocus and quiet the ego . She says this can be accomplished through mindfulness , flow ( getting lost in something you enjoy ), compassion ( good deeds , helping others ), and elevation ( an emotion we feel when we observe the goodness in others ).
• Give them responsibilities . One of the core components of self-esteem is competence . When kids feel like they are able to accomplish what they set their minds to , and when they feel they are making a positive contribution , their confidence grows . Give them opportunities to try new things and to master skills .
• Show unconditional positive regard . Humanist psychologist Carl Rogers believed that providing unconditional positive regard ( accepting and loving someone no matter what ) helps people become congruent ( their selfimage is a lot like their ideal self , or self-actualization ).
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