A child starts developing a sense of self-awareness even before his or her 1st birthday. This relates to how they look and what they can and cannot do. From this time, the child will start to develop an opinion by himself and this is largely dependant on how the adults around him treat him. For example, a child who does not mix with other kids or adults will not develop social skills. Similarly a child who is always told what to do and not given a choice will not be able to think for himself.

Hence, instilling self-confidence to toddlers is the prime responsibility of his parents and here are some tips from child experts:
– Praise your baby
– Show a lot of affection
– Offer him choices
– Allow them to make mistakes
– Listen to them
– Allow your baby to socialize
– Discipline them
– Include them in family discussions
– Don’t argue in front of them
– Teach them to learn from failure

A baby should be praised as much as possible especially when he tries out new things. For example, if your baby is able to put on his T-shirt, affectionately tell him how smart he is. This will start to develop a sense of self-worth in your child and he will automatically feel confident to try newer and bigger things. If your toddler is able to put on the T-shirt but wears it on front-to-back, do not criticize for doing it wrong. Rather a word of praise for attempting to wear the T-shirt is more important. You can then gently correct him and show him which the right way to wear it is.

Always be physically demonstrative with a lot of hugs and kisses. While a child will understand an affectionate tone, he will relate more to physical displays of affection. A baby who is loved will be automatically self-confident. Offering your kids age-appropriate choices is the key to instilling self-confidence in them. A toddler can be offered the choice of wearing a red shoe or a blue shoe while a teenager can be asked if they prefer to do the laundry or do the dishes.

A toddler will not realize the significance of being offered a choice now but will do so later in life. Allowing them to have ‘voice’ will help them grow in self-confidence. Allowing your kids to make mistakes is necessary for only then will they know how to think when confronted by a problem. If they are constantly told what to do, they will never think for themselves. Instead allow them to choose while offering gentle guidance.

Chat and listen to your baby even if they have not developed language skills. By showing interest in what they say even if it is gibberish will make them confident to express themselves better and better as they grow without fear of being ridiculed. Involving them in small household chores can also help. When you are washing up, give your toddler some soapy water to play with and they will feel they are helping you. Interaction with other kids and adults is extremely essential for them to feel comfortable and confident in the presence of people other than their parents.

Discipline your child in the right way is very necessary. A simple firm ‘no’ ought to do the trick. Do not sound angry or critical, for, although your toddler cannot understand the words, he can understand the tone, feel upset and become withdrawn. When your baby is awake, include him in family activities so that he will feel a part of the family. Do not isolate him and spend ‘couple time’ together which should be done ideally when he is asleep. Negative vibes and angry words frighten children and make them insecure. So, no raised voices and angry tones when they are around please!

Finally, no one is born perfect. In fact successful adults are those who made mistakes and learnt from them. So teach toddlers that they can make mistakes, empathize and show them how to learn from the mistakes. For example, if your toddler leaves her teddy bear outside and it gets lost, show her the mistake she made. This will teach her not to leave things out in the garden in future. Follow these and other tips from experts to have a happy, self-confident toddler who will grow into a self-confident adult.

Author Bio: Article by Kenny Leichester of http://www.patioshoppers.com, a website with the best patio furniture information on the web.

Category: Parenting
Keywords: Instilling self-confidence to toddlers