kids

  • 6 Hacks to Save on Back-to-School Shopping

    Pencils, crayons, pens, and notebooks mean it’s that time again! All parents know that back-to-school shopping can burn a hole in your pocket quickly. However, there are so many things you can do to minimize the cost. This school year, save yourself some money with the following tips.

    Stick To Necessities

    Stick to the schools (or your own if homeschooling) list!nAny item not on the list provided by your child’s teacher probably isn’t needed. This is crucial, so please don’t get carried away by the colorful distractions! LOL Although kids may beg for extra supplies, make a rule that if something isn’t on the list, you won’t buy it. They can have fun picking out the items that are actually needed.

    • If a list wasn’t given out before the first day of school, there’s no need to get carried away and purchase a bunch of stuff your child might not ever use. Get the list as soon as possible; you’ll be in a position to pick up items when they’re on sale.
    • Contact the school or look at the school’s website if you haven’t received a copy of the list. Many schools now provide a downloadable version on their website.

    Shop At Home First

    You likely have several things at home that can be used. Look in your office for pencils, pens, unused notebooks, notebook paper, and more. Remember to check your child’s book bag, crayons, lunch box, and anything else that comes to mind.

    • Items like pencil boxes, pencil sharpeners, and scissors can probably be used for years before they need replacement.

    Consider The Source

    Many parents immediately think of large super-stores as the best source of school supplies. Remember to consider the offerings of drug stores and even grocery stores.

    • Frequently, these less-considered stores can have spectacular sales on many back-to-school supplies just to get shoppers in the door. Check out newspaper inserts and mailed circulars to find out about drugstore sales.

    Watch For The Sales

    As the calendar closes in on the beginning of the school year, keep your eyes open. Sales abound, and the smart shopper will be on the lookout for the best deals. Often a store will have notebooks on sale for one cent, while another will have a great sale on pencils.

    • Using coupons wisely can save you a ton of money.
    • Even if a coupon comes out after you’ve made a purchase, stores will typically honor them. Take your receipt and the coupon back to the store and get that better price.

    Related:

    Tax-Free Week?

    Many states have tax-free holidays around the start of school. Make sure to check whether your state has a tax free holiday and only go shopping during those times.

    Team Up With Another Parent

    By joining forces with another parent, you have the opportunity to purchase items in bulk at reduced prices. Then divide up the supplies and the savings.

    Back-to-school time is exciting for everyone, but for parents, it can also be a financially stressful time of the year.

    But school starting doesn’t have to break the bank. Get your supply list, stick to it, and focus on saving money by following these tips. This school year might cost you less than any other.

    6 Hacks to Save on Back-to-School Shopping 2
  • Everything You Didn’t Know: Raise Happy, Confident Kids

    Having a child is easy. Raising a child not so much. No job is more important, frustrating, or rewarding than raising a happy, confident, and successful child. 

    Raising happy, capable children is one part science and two parts art. No two children are exactly the same. Each child has his own strengths and weaknesses. Each child has a unique set of challenges. One child might be great at school but struggles socially, while another has plenty of friends but struggles to deal with his emotions.

    So what’s a parent to do?

    Despite these individual differences, there are general principles that apply to us all. The tips in this guide will help you to instill habits and thought processes in your children that lead them toward a happy and fulfilling life.

     It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men

    Frederick Douglass

    Decide What Happy, Confident, and Successful Mean to You

    We all hold differing opinions on what success means. Keep in mind that success at one age doesn’t necessarily mean success at another age. You might be pleased with your 6-figure 401(k), but a child would probably prefer to have a loving group of friends. 

    Still, a successful childhood will often translate into easier confidence, happiness, and success as an adult.

    Consider the various parts of a child’s life:

    ‣ School

    ‣ Peers

    ‣ Family life

    A child must also learn how to:

    ‣ Grow their emotional intelligence

    ‣ Set and achieve goals

    ‣ Make decisions

    ‣ Deal with fears and stress appropriately

    ‣ Show kindness

    ‣ Take responsibility for their actions

    Create good habits

    As a parent, you have the most crucial role in teaching these skills to your child. Consider what you believe your children should know to thrive in each part of their life during childhood and beyond. Create your own list and use it to formulate your strategy.

    Determine your responsibilities:

    ‣ Food, clothing, and shelter

    ‣ Love

    ‣ Encouragement

    ‣ Wisdom

    Also, consider where you’ll draw the line. Will you teach your child to stand up to a bully, instruct them to notify the teacher, or take matters into your own hands?

    Some parents believe in taking control of every aspect of their child’s life, while others take an entirely hands-off approach. In the first case, if you do everything for your child, they may struggle to take care of themselves later in life. In the second, they’re likely to feel overwhelmed and fail to thrive.

    Finding the right balance is important. This balance will depend on the individual child.

    Know your child:

    ‣ Intelligence

    ‣ Introvert vs. extrovert

    ‣ Confidence

    ‣ Emotional stability and strength

    ‣ Interests

    ‣ Ability to focus

    A highly intelligent and introverted child will require a different approach than a confident, extroverted child that struggles with school. A child may need limited assistance in some areas while requiring extensive help in others. It’s also possible your child is so gifted in certain areas that they might be able to teach you a thing or two!

    The choices you make as a parent can help or harm your child.

    It’s important to define success, determine your responsibilities, and consider your child’s unique traits.

    All children are born pure egoists. They perceive their needs to the exclusion of all others. Only through socialization do they learn that some forms of gratification must be deferred and others denied

    Andrew Vachss

    Emotional Intelligence

    Emotional intelligence is the ability to recognize and manage the emotions of yourself and others. This might be the most critical skill anyone could ever learn!

    Emotional intelligence is considered to be a much better predictor of success and happiness than IQ.

    Being intelligent isn’t very helpful if you’re unable to deal with yourself and others effectively. You probably know at least one person who is highly intelligent but struggles with life.

    Raise the emotional intelligence of your child:

    Be a good example

    • Your child is always watching you for clues regarding how to behave in different circumstances. Are you being a good role model? If your own emotional intelligence can use a little work, now is the time to get busy.
    • Purchase three books on emotional intelligence and begin to put the ideas into action. By enhancing your own emotional intelligence, you’ll be helping yourself and your child. Set a good example.

    Encourage your child to express his emotions

    • People are separate from their feelings. A person might be feeling anger, but they are not literally “angry.” It’s necessary to make this distinction. When your child expresses his emotions, he can begin the processes of discovering that his emotions are separate entities.
    • Help your child to label emotions when they arise. Address their emotions. “You’re feeling sad because your friend can’t play today.”

    Teach your child to view emotions as a message and deal with them effectively

    • Emotions aren’t an invitation to act out. Emotions can be acknowledged without the need for impulsive action to follow. Help your child learn to tolerate negative emotions and find solutions when appropriate.

    Praise your child when they show emotional intelligence

    • Whenever your child demonstrates self-control or other appropriate emotional behavior, point it out and compliment them for their successful effort.

    Share your own emotions with your child

    • Tell your child that you’re disappointed that your favorite TV show was cancelled or that you’re upset that your sister is ill. Explain how that emotion feels to you.

    Point out emotions in others

    • Point out the angry man in the grocery store or the happiness in a sibling. Recognizing emotions in others takes practice. Fortunately, there are people experiencing emotions everywhere. Make a game out of it.

    Teach your child how to calm down

    • Lead your child by asking appropriate questions:
    1. Do you think you need a few minutes of quiet time to calm down?
    2. Since you’re getting upset, let’s take a few deep breaths and relax until you feel calm again.
    3. What will help you to feel more calm and relaxed?

    Teach your child positive self-talk

    • Give your child examples of positive self-talk when negative emotions occur.

    “When you’re feeling uncertain, say to yourself, ‘I’m a big girl, and I can handle this.'”

    Emotional intelligence is an integral part of happiness, confidence, and success. The best way to instill emotional intelligence in your child is to demonstrate it each day. Build your own emotional intelligence and take the necessary steps to accomplish the same in your child. 

    Parents are the ultimate role models for children. Every word, movement, and action has an effect. No other person or outside force has a greater influence on a child than the parent

    Bob Keeshan

    Building Social Skills in Your Child

    A child without friends feels alone and unwanted, no matter how much love and attention you shower upon them. In many ways, a child with a high level of social intelligence will be ahead of the game, but there are skills specific to making and keeping friends that everyone needs to learn to have a healthy social life.

    Your child’s social skills are critical to their happiness and confidence:

    Teach your child to maintain eye contact

    • When your child is talking to you or to others, encourage eye contact. You can even have a staring contest with your child. Explain to them that eye contact demonstrates that they are listening and paying attention.

    Teach your child to be kind

    • Explain to your child that other children are more likely to like them if they are nice. Teach your child to show kindness in both their actions and their words.

    Give your child opportunities to practice their social skills

    • Encourage them to invite other children over to the house. Set up playdates. Have them speak to the next-door neighbor. Encourage your child to develop new friendships.

    Use your child’s interests

    If your child loves baseball, sign him up for a baseball team. Children are much more likely to be excited and sociable while taking part in an activity that they love.

    Ask your child’s teacher for advice and information

    It’s hard to have an accurate picture of how your child is doing socially at school. Ask your child’s teachers about your child’s social skills. If your child is young enough, you can probably volunteer to be a helper in the classroom. That way, you’ll be able to assess the situation first-hand.

    Teach your child to take turns

    Few things get children upset quicker than a lack of fairness. Children instinctively know when a situation is unfair. Teach your child to share and take turns.

    Teach your child how to introduce themselves

    This is very stressful for many children, and more than a few adults! There are people everywhere just waiting to be your practice dummies. Show your child how to introduce themselves and give them plenty of practice.

    Teach your child to apologize when necessary

    We all make mistakes. The solution is to apologize and move on. Most children are very forgiving when presented with a quick apology.

    Basic social skills are necessary to be part of the world. The better your child’s social skills, the more they’ll be able to enjoy the company of others. Think about the people you know with poor social skills. You want something better for your child. Adults with poor social skills have habits that are challenging to overcome. Teach your child good social skills early in life.

    Without education, your children can never really meet the challenges they will face. So it’s essential to give children education and explain that they should play a role for their country

    Nelson Mandela

    Academic Success

    Success at school increases confidence and provides for a greater number of opportunities later in life. Children with good grades and study skills can choose from a wider variety of colleges and career choices than those with limited academic success. With the proper habits, most children can navigate the academic demands of school successfully.

    Teach your child to be an excellent student:

    Motivate your child

    You can’t expect your child to do well if they don’t care. The best way to get them to care is to show them that school is a priority.

    • Ask your child about school.
    • Give praise for grades.
    • Show concern and give help when they’re struggling.
    • Explain to them the importance of good grades.

    Require your child to read

    Children that read- do better in school. Set aside at least 15 minutes each day for reading time. Your local library will have reading programs all year round with recommended reading lists for children. 

    Be involved at your child’s school

    When you make time for your child’s school activities, you show your interest.

    • Volunteer for parent-teacher organizations
    • Go to all parent-teacher conferences
    • Attend school functions
    • Volunteer for school events
    • Attend school board meetings
    • Chaperone field trips

    Have homework expectations

    Set aside a certain time each night for homework. The time is up to you, but be consistent. Teach your child that homework is to be completed each day, no matter what.

    Put your child to bed on time

    Does your child sleep much longer on the weekends? If so, they most likely need to go to bed earlier during the week. A well-rested child will have better focus, be in a better mood, and perform at a higher level.

    • Experiment with different bedtimes and stick with what works. If your child struggles to get up in the morning, try sending them to bed 15 minutes earlier.

    Feed them a nutritious breakfast

    Kids need something to eat in the morning. Younger children sleep for a longer period of time and might not get a chance to eat again until noon. Make a good breakfast part of your child’s morning routine. This also means your child will have to get up on time.

    Teach study skills

    No one knows how to study without initial guidance. Help your child to study for tests. Get started early and teach your child how to get organized. Memorization skills are also necessary.

    Academic success can provide a tremendous amount of confidence and self-esteem. Show your child that their education is important to you. Explain how good grades will help them later in life. Teach the study skills and habits that your child will need for ongoing success in school and in life.

    Get involved at your child’s school. There are plenty of opportunities for a motivated parent.

    Teach love, generosity, good manners, and some of that will drift from the classroom to the home, and who knows, the children will be educating the parents

    Roger Moore

    Build Confidence and Self-Esteem

    Any child with social intelligence, social skills, and good grades will feel proud and confident. There are additional things you can do to make your child even more confident and happy. Children that are happy and confident are more successful and a joy to be around!

    Related: darlingsteps.com/ultimateguidetogrowthmindsetformomskids

    Increase your child’s self-confidence:

    Create opportunities for success

    Ask your child to do things you know they can accomplish. For a young child, this might be putting their dirty clothes in the laundry basket. An older child would require a more challenging task.

    Allow your child to make decisions

    Children feel more confident and like they have more control in their life when they can make decisions.

    • Once a week, let your child choose the dinner menu, with the caveat that the meal must be healthy.
    • Allow your child to choose the route home from the store or school.
    • Let them choose their clothes for the day. (You might want to provide three outfits and give your child a choice from those three options.)

    Encourage them to resolve their challenges

    If they complain that they’re bored, ask what they could do so they wouldn’t be bored. When a child is able to solve their own problems, their confidence will grow by leaps and bounds.

    Provide opportunities to be helpful

    When we do things to benefit others, we feel better about ourselves. 

    • Give your child a helpful task to accomplish. It might be putting away the clean forks and spoons or filling the dog’s water bowl. Every child should have a few responsibilities around the house.

    Related: darlingsteps.com/8-steps-to-help-your-child-with-self-esteem

    Teach your children to trust themselves

    Encourage them to make their own decisions. Some of them may be wrong, but then you’re presented with the opportunity to help them learn how to fix mistakes. 

    • A child that isn’t afraid of making mistakes is highly confident.

    Ask your child to list their accomplishments for the day

    Teach them the habit of focusing on the positive. A few possible accomplishments might be:

    • Getting an A on a spelling test
    • Cleaning up their room
    • Eating their vegetables
    • Completing their homework
    • Reading a book
    • Playing well with their little brother
    • Giving themselves a bath

    Be confident yourself

    Show your child what real self-confidence looks like. Children model your behaviors.

    Give sincere compliments

    Kids know when you’re throwing meaningless drivel at them. Avoid telling your son that he’s a great basketball player if he’s the worst on the team. Dig deep and give your child a sincere compliment.

    Avoid putting an emphasis on perfection

    Expecting perfection creates a child that’s afraid to even try. Nothing is perfect and a goal of perfection is self-defeating. There are times you can “improve” your child’s result, but sometimes it’s best to allow your child’s results to stand on their own.

    Avoid leaving your child’s confidence and self-esteem to chance

    There are many simple and easy ways to grow your child’s sense of self-worth and increase his ability to tackle the world with confidence. A little time and effort each day can make a huge difference.

    Motherhood has taught me the meaning of living in the moment and being at peace. Children don’t think about yesterday, and they don’t think about tomorrow. They just exist in the moment

    Jessalyn Gilsig

    Dealing with Failure

    Failure is a part of life. No one can be perfect 100% of the time. Failure isn’t fatal, but many adults view it as something to avoid. Teach your child that failure is a part of life; it’s only a temporary condition and can lead you to success. A child that deals effectively with failure is equipped to deal with the world successfully.

    Related: darlingsteps.com/boostkidsconfidence

    Make your child resistant to the potential pitfalls of failure:

    Failure is a learning opportunity

    When we fail, we learn that our approach wasn’t the best choice. Explain to your child that failing means you need to try again with a new approach. Most kids readily accept this fact.

    Failure isn’t personal

    Failure says nothing about the person that “failed.” Failure is the result of a behavior. Failing doesn’t mean that a person isn’t capable, smart, or a good person.

    Tell your child about a time you failed, but were ultimately successful

    Share a story about your own failure and show your child that failure happens to everyone. More importantly, tell your child how you overcame your failure and experienced success at the end.

    Teach your child that persistence is important

    With enough persistence, any failure can be overcome. It’s important to try again.

    • If you think about the adults you know that struggle in life, you’ll find that they’re not persistent in their efforts. Teach this fact to your child.

    Related: darlingsteps.com/teachkidsresilience

    You won’t always get what you want

    Life can be disappointing. You can’t hit every shot or get every question on a test correct every time. Some “failures” can’t be undone, but life must go on. Failure can be an opportunity to deal with disappointment.

    • disappointment occurs throughout life. We don’t get the job we want. Our offer for a Saturday night date is refused. But you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.

    Success can be more meaningful when you’ve been forced to deal with failure

    Allow your child to experience success after initial failure. This means you’ll have to encourage your child to continue trying after failing. When they’re successful, point out how good they feel. Success is rewarding.

    Dealing with failure is a part of life

    When a child is able to deal with failure effectively, he loses his fear of failure. Most adults never learned to embrace failure and make every effort to avoid situations that might result in failure. True success can never be achieved if you’re limited by a fear of failing.

    It is painful to watch children trying to show off for parents who are engrossed in their cell phones. Children are nostalgic for the ‘good old days’ when parents used to read to them without the cell phone by their side

    Sherry Turkle

    Teach Your Child to Set and Achieve Goals

    We all know the power of setting goals. Instill the habit of setting goals in your child, and they’ll be much more successful in life. By developing the habit at a young age, setting goals will be automatic later in life.

    When children make decisions and are successful, they’re happier and more confident! Just like any adult.

    Related: darlingsteps.com/simple-positive-parenting-hacks-to-help-your-kids-thrive

    Setting goals is a valuable skill at any age:

    Start small

    Before beginning any task, ask your child what the goal is.

    • Make my room clean
    • Get an “A” on my vocabulary test
    • Organize my books
    • Finish reading this book

    Ensure that your child is successful

    If the goal is to finish the book, make sure the book gets read. Help her study for her vocabulary test.

    • Most of us are good at setting goals and making plans. It’s the execution that’s challenging. Teach your child to complete what they start.

    Set goals together for the week

    Share some of your goals and encourage your child to set some goals. The goals could be nearly anything.

    • Go to see a movie
    • Go to bed by 8:00 every night
    • Ask said friend to spend the night

    Share some of your own goals, such as cleaning out the garage, paying the bills, or washing the car.

    Sit down together each night and review your collective progress

    Make plans to achieve your goals. Teach the habit of regularly reviewing your goals each day.

    Set multi-step goals

    It’s easy to get in the car and drive to McDonald’s, but that’s okay. Small goals count, too. Encourage your child to set one goal that will take a few weeks of effort. It might be learning a piece of music on the piano or earning $25 by the end of the month doing jobs around the house.

    • Choose a goal that will require consistent effort and track your child’s progress. The discipline needed to achieve a bigger goal creates a bigger thrill. It’s also great practice for the future.
    • Be sure to set a deadline. A goal without a deadline is rarely achieved.

    Even younger, school-aged children can set and achieve goals

    The quality of the goal isn’t as important as developing the habit of setting goals. We tend to carry habits throughout our lives. Teach your child to set, review, and achieve goals now. The success and control over life your child will experience will make him happy and confident.

    Raising children uses every bit of your being – your heart, your time, your patience, your foresight, your intuition to protect them, and you have to use all of this while trying to figure out how to discipline them

    Nicole Ari Parker

    Dealing with Fears

    Even adults have fears. We’re all afraid of the proverbial “monster under the bed.” Dealing with fear effectively can make a child more confident and secure. Feeling afraid is common at any age. 

    How a person deals with fear can influence his confidence and happiness.

    Help your child learn to manage their fears effectively with these tricks:

    Share your own fears as a child

    Whether you were afraid of the dark or the life-sized teddy bear in your closet, tell your child about your fear. Then share how you were able to overcome it. Teach your child that it’s natural to be afraid and that it happens to everyone at every age.

    Teach your child about being brave

    Many kids believe that being brave means, you’re not afraid. But bravery is the act of facing your fears. Encourage your child to be brave. Fear and avoidance are something we do. Being brave is also something we can do.

    Avoid books, movies, and television programs with characters that you know will cause your child to feel fear.

    If your child is terrified of wolves, it doesn’t make sense to read the “Three Little Pigs” to them.

    • Explain the difference between fantasy and reality to your child.

    Avoid embarrassing your child

    The worst thing you can do to a fearful child is to tell them to stop being a baby. The last thing a fearful child needs is to start believing that he is unloved. Your own fears aren’t any more realistic 99% of the time.

    Ask your child to come up with solutions

    Only they know what will make them feel better. A nightlight or five minutes snuggling in bed shouldn’t be an issue for any parent. You might even enjoy it.

    Who isn’t afraid? Our fears limit us and rob us of confidence. Be supportive, seek solutions, and admit your own childhood fears. Show your child that feeling fear is natural, but that they can also take action to minimize this fear.

    Among the other values children should be taught are respect for others, beginning with the child’s own parents and family; respect for the symbols of faith and the patriotic beliefs of others; respect for law and order; respect for the property of others; respect for authority

    James E. Faust

    Children require a lot of work and attention to reach their potential. 

    Anyone can raise happy and confident children, but it’s unlikely to happen without time and effort. 

    Remember that each child is an individual. No single method will work in all situations. Take into account your child’s unique characteristics before developing your plan.

    Address all aspects of your child’s life – school, peers, and family life. They need to experience some level of success in all facets in order for their confidence and happiness to grow.

    Being a parent is hard work, but seeing your child thrive is one of life’s greatest satisfactions.

  • How To Build & Boost Your Childs Confidence

    How to Build Your Daughter’s Self-Esteem and Confidence

    Children of both genders can suffer from self-esteem and self-confidence issues. However, girls tend to have challenges in these areas more often.

    Research shows that girls are much more likely to develop eating disorders. They’re more likely to self-harm when stressed or depressed. Also, girls think about and attempt suicide at twice the rate of boys of the same age.

    Related: Epic Ultimate Guide To Growth Mindset For Parents

    While all children need high levels of self-esteem and confidence, many girls are especially at risk.

    Help your daughter have a happy and emotionally healthy life:

    1. Determine what she’s good at and help her develop that skill. Everyone feels good about themselves when they do something that they are good at. The better you are at it, the better you tend to feel. It makes you feel special and capable.

            ◦ As a parent, you already have a good idea of your daughter’s likes and strengths. From those items, identify something that your daughter loves to do and help her excel at it. Her confidence and self-esteem will soar.

    1. Sign her up for team sports. Team sports have been shown to benefit girls by making them more confident. Team sports are a great way to learn new skills, make new friends, and build a social circle.

            ◦ Winning and learning how to handle defeat are both great for one’s self-esteem and confidence.

    1. Ensure that your daughter understands that your love isn’t conditional. Every child needs to understand without a doubt that they are loved regardless of their choices or success.
    2. Let her have her own style. Allow your daughter to have her own unique style. This includes things like music, hair, and clothing. While her choices might not match your own, finding an identity can create emotional stability. This foundation can be a wonderful footing for self-esteem and confidence.
    3. Be a good example. Your daughter is always watching, even if she isn’t always listening. If she sees her mother judging her own body in a negative way, this sends a negative message. Fathers can also say inappropriate things about women that have a negative effect on girls.

            ◦ Consider how your behavior and comments are interpreted by your daughter.

    1. Praise effort as well as outcomes. It’s not possible to be successful all of the time, so focus on praising effort. There are things your child simply won’t be good at. It’s counterproductive to be critical when your child did the best they could.
    2. Teach assertiveness. Confidence and self-esteem largely come from the ability to influence and direct your own life. Without assertiveness, your child is subject to the whims of everyone around her. Assertiveness teaches your daughter than her opinion and wishes are important.
    3. Encourage your daughter to try new things. New things can be a little scary. Overcoming that apprehension is a good thing. It also allows your daughter to add new activities, skills, and people to her life – all of which will boost her self-esteem and confidence.

    Related: GROW Your Childs Self Esteem

    Daughters often need a little more help and attention than boys do. If you’re having serious issues with your child, seek out professional assistance immediately. It’s worth the potential cost and discomfort.

    There are many things parents can do to help their daughter thrive into adulthood. Building self-esteem and confidence in your daughter is an important responsibility.

    What Can Albert Einstein Teach Your Kids About Confidence?

    Psychologists often describe confidence as a person’s belief in their own ability to succeed. Naturally, every parent would like their child to be self-confident.

    However, what seems to challenge parents the most is striking a healthy balance when encouraging confidence. They want to nurture their child’s confidence, but not let them get too arrogant.

    Related: Hacks to Help Your Child Thrive

    Also, many parents have a challenge with self-confidence themselves.  

    The brilliant Albert Einstein said:

    If you can’t explain it to a six-year-old, you don’t understand it yourself.”

    This is the key issue: many parents don’t know how to teach confidence to their kids.

    • Where do we draw a line?
    • Do we push our children to do more or give them all the space they need?
    • Can our kids learn how to be self-confident if we are not?

    Answers to these questions might seem complicated, but the good news is – you don’t have to do it alone. There are plenty of resources to help you gain direction and clarity.

    Even if you aren’t the most confident person in the world, you’ll do a lot for your child if you offer them a healthy, positive role model. It can be someone they know, a fictional character, or a celebrity. The famous physicist, Albert Einstein, is a perfect example.

    confident child girl

    Here’s what your child can learn about confidence from Einstein’s life and work:

    1. It’s okay to have special interests. When he was nine, Einstein went to high school. There, he spent only 3–4 hours a week studying math and science. He was an odd kid, and eventually, he was asked to leave high school and he did it.

            ◦ His home was the only place where he could pursue his interests. Later in life, his special interests led him to win the Nobel Prize and become one of the most famous theoretical physicists in the world.

            ◦ Expose your child to a wide variety of activities and encourage them once they find something they love. Quirky hobbies can be particularly helpful for kids who don’t exactly fit in at school. The fact they are special at something will affect their confidence positively.

    1. Imagination is the answer. Albert Einstein was the biggest advocate of imagination and creativity.

       “Logic will get you from A to Z; imagination will get you everywhere.”

            ◦ Children have a particularly vivid imagination. Let them use it. Help them fantasize.

    Encourage them to visualize they’ll be doing something important or fulfilling when they grow up.

            ◦ Their dreams might seem unrealistic at the moment, but don’t lower their expectations. It is important they are thinking about their goals.

    1. Persistence needs to be encouraged. When he was just a child, Einstein was considered dyslexic and a slow learner. In fact, many adults thought he was stupid. Later on, he had problems in school. Then, he failed in his first attempt to enroll into Zurich Polytechnic University. During the war, he was targeted by Nazis.

            ◦ As you can see, obstacles and challenges were all around him. However, he persisted and achieved his goals.

            ◦ Your child will come across many setbacks in life too. Avoid the temptation to be their savior. Let them know you are here if they need you but give them a chance to figure things out on their own.

            ◦ To become confident, kids need to learn that it’s okay to take risks and fail. Let them try and get up once they fall. This will make them resilient and strong enough to deal with life’s challenges.

    If you think Albert Einstein is a too-advanced example of confidence for children at a young age, substitute someone else that can send similar messages. 

    Diversity is paramount, optimism and imagination are potent weapons, perseverance and autonomy are highly valued, and confidence is a path to a happy life!

    How To Raise a Confident Child

    Confidence is about being comfortable with who you are, willing to give things a go – even if you’re not sure you’ll succeed – and trusting your own judgment. How can we raise a confident child in such a doubtful world? How can we instill this feeling in our children if it doesn’t come naturally to them? Or worse, if we aren’t confident ourselves? There’s no 100% guarantee that our child will grow up a confident man or woman, but there’s many tried and tested ways to cultivate it now.

    Here are a few thoughts:

    • Accept your child’s starting point!

    This is HUGE. Every child is different and each one will grow at different levels. Start where are.

    • Don’t force them into situations they aren’t comfortable with

    Have you ever wanted your child to be ready for that thing or that occasion? Except, they just wouldn’t act the way you wanted them to? They just…weren’t, ya know, getting it? I know I’ve been guilty so many times of trying to rush a process. But that’s a problem. There’s truly a time for everything. Trying to put our kids in situations they aren’t ready for, is just a recipe for disaster and a surefire way to gut their confidence in half.

    • Take small steps to encourage confidence

    Give compliments every day. Words of affirmation. Speak out with praise when your kiddo does the right thing and not just judgment or consequence when they do something bad wrong. Slow and steady. Taking time to be intentional each and every day is one of the best things we can do for our children. It creates a habit for us and is positive repetition and reinforcement for them.

    • Work out what their fear is

    This may or may not be a challenge for you, but simply put, you must get to the root of most problems. FEAR. Whether or not they admit it, or are able to coherently vocalize it, there is a fear that exists. Find it and CRUSH IT FAST. We all know how crippling fear can be if left untouched. This doesn’t mean that you’ll be able to rid every fear or that you need to, but instead, learning how to channel that fear into motivation.

    • Keep praise special

    I mentioned giving praise above as a great way to build confidence in small steps, but be careful with this one. I don’t mean you should praise everything your kid does. You know those parents. Just, don’t. Simply put, too much praise can lose its value with your child and you don’t want that.

    • Find their forte and allow it to flourish

    The most wonderful thing we could do for our children is nurture them. Especially in areas where they excel. If you’re blessed to see a strong suit in your kiddo when their young, keep supporting it. Give them everything you possibly can to allow them to flourish in whatever area they’re showing special abilities.

    • Step back sometimes and let them have at it

    Don’t rush ahead of them or dart to lend a helping hand. Certainly preaching to myself here! Step back and watch them. Allow them to take the lead. They just may surprise you!

    What do you think? Did I miss any BIG points here? Share with us below!

    happy confident child
    confident mom pointing
  • 7 Ways To Occupy Kids On A Long Haul Flight

    Children and Vacations: How To Have a Calm Flight

    Vacations bring some of the most memorable experiences you’ll ever have. Planning and organizing your family’s travel can make the difference between having a trying, tiring flight or a calm and restful one.

    Here are some ways to make your flight enjoyable for everyone:

    1. Get the kids emotionally *ready* for the trip. Gather all the necessary information in advance about your travel destination and share this information with your children to prepare them for the trip.
    • Plan an activity each day that the children will like.
    • Discuss these activities with your children in advance so they’ll have something to look forward to.
    1. Read a book about flying. If your children are seven years old or younger, look for books about flying that are written for their age ranges. Preparing children through stories and pictures can go a long way in quelling any fears they might have about riding an airplane.
    • Make the storytime fun and add in some of your own flying experiences for discussions with your youngsters.
    • For children who’ve flown before, talk about the prior trip to help refresh their memories.
    1. Take something familiar. Take a familiar item along for the ride to serve as a calming influence for your child.
    • Help the kids select a favorite small toy or belonging to provide a sense of security during the flight.
    • Instead of a new toy, choose a well-loved item. This might be a stuffed animal your child sleeps with or carries with him throughout the day.
    1. Include simple, inexpensive toys and games your children enjoy. Purchase some of these items to pack in your carry-on bag. Then, pull out surprises every hour or so during the plane ride.
    • Plan to have enough surprise items for the trip home as well.
    • For example, if your son enjoys crossword puzzles, buy a new crossword puzzle magazine and pack it with a pencil.
    • Maybe your daughter enjoys reading and has a favorite author. You might surprise her with a new book by her favorite author to read on the plane.
    1. Fun gadgets keep their attention. Let’s not forget the incredible benefit of technological gadgets to keep the kids occupied during the flight. If your kids are old enough to have their own gadgets, whether to play games, listen to music or watch movies, ensure they’re packed in the carry-on.
    • If it’s feasible, give your kids a new game or new music for the trip. This could keep them quiet, calm and occupied for the duration of the plane ride.
    1. Consider the flight as quality time. Engage the kids in discussions of subjects you want to talk about with them.
    • Listen to each of your kids talk about school, their favorite subjects, and their current interests.
    • When the kids wind down from this discussion, shift gears and bring out some of those little surprises mentioned earlier.
    1. Be aware of how the seating arrangement on the flight determines whether the flight is calm or calamitous. If your two children bicker frequently, it may be wise to have them sit on either side of you to keep a little distance between them during the flight.
    • Another option is to seat the children side by side to see if being together helps keep them occupied with positive interactions.
    • If need be, you can switch the children’s seats later to separate them.

    Planning ahead for your family’s flight increases your chances of having a peaceful travel experience. Follow the above suggestions to ensure that your family will arrive at your vacation destination relaxed, calm and ready to enjoy a memorable family vacation.

    children window airport travel occupied
    7 Ways To Occupy Kids On A Long Haul Flight 3
    kids family on airplane playing