are perceptive and will know if your mind is elsewhere . Dedicate yourself to the game that you and your child are playing . That shared imagination brings you closer together and lets your child know that you ’ re listening to them .
The life of a preschool teacher is a hectic one , and I often spent time multitasking . However , when it came to playtime , I gave the kids my full attention and jumped into their play with both feet . The bonds I shared with my students were often built during this important time together .
Provide them with small jobs
Children need opportunities to display their skills and feel that their contribution is valued . At home , this means asking them to help with household chores such as :
• Setting the table
• Tidying up toys
• Dusting
• Sweeping
• Vacuuming
• Doing the dishes
• Sorting or folding laundry
• Washing the car
• Gardening
Consider your child ’ s interests and give them a job that lets them feel useful and successful . If your child is proud of their ability to organize , ask them to put toys away in designated areas . When a child accomplishes a task , they feel confident .
When tasks start to lose their fun appeal , work with your children . It helps them to learn that sometimes , work comes before play .
• Help them get comfortable with their emotions by accepting them without judgment . By doing so , you validate those feelings and show that you value what they have to say .
• Share your own feelings to help them gain confidence in expressing their own .
Provide encouragement often
Think about the last time someone acknowledged your hard work and told you they believed in you . That kind of encouragement not only gives adults the kind of confidence boost they need to keep going , but it also builds the best kind of confidence a child can have .
There ’ s a big difference between encouragement and praise . One rewards the person while the other rewards the task . Praise can make a child feel that they ’ re only worthwhile if they do something flawlessly . Encouragement , on the other hand , acknowledges the effort .
For example , “ This sandcastle is amazing !” vs . “ You worked so hard on this sandcastle ! Great job .”
Too much praise can create pressure to perform and set up a constant need for approval from others . It ’ s better instead to give your child the message that the effort — and seeing something through to the end — is what ’ s truly important .
By setting your children up to succeed , providing them a generous amount of encouragement and spending quality time together , you can help them grow up feeling good about themselves and the world around them .
Give them your attention
I can ’ t stress enough how important it is to make time to give your child your full attention . Much like playtime , it boosts your child ’ s feelings of self-worth by sending the message that you think they ’ re important and valuable .
Here are a few simple tips for building confidence while giving your kids your attention :
• Make eye contact , so it ’ s clear that you ’ re really listening to what they ’ re saying .
• If your child needs to talk , stop and listen to what they have to say . They need to know that their thoughts , feelings and opinions matter .
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