If you want your child to grow into a successful, happy and well-balanced adult, you should pay attention to their levels of confidence and self-esteem, says mental performance coach Cindra Kamphoff.
"Confidence is one of the strongest predictors of our performance, our happiness and our success," says Kamphoff, the founder of the Mentally Strong Institute, a mental coaching firm for business leaders and athletes. "Growing confidence is the work of a lifetime [because] there's setbacks and adversity that we face that impacts our confidence."
Of course, most kids won't simply tell their parents that their self-esteem is low, or when they could use a confidence boost. Parents should, however, check for warning signs, Kamphoff says: What your child says out loud about themselves can be revealing, especially if they're stuck in a cycle of self-criticism. Their body language can be revealing too, especially when they're reluctant or unable to articulate how they're really feeling, she adds.
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Boosting confidence differs from inspiring arrogance. Parents can steer their children toward the former by focusing on realistic praise of their effort and attitude — rather than inflating their egos with an exaggerated focus on their achievements, some psychologists say.
