Building Confidence in Your Preschoolers Right from birth, your child is learning new skills like making eye contact with you or learning to use his or her voice to cry. Not only is skill-building essential to move through developmental milestones, so is confidence building.
your child’s confidence at a young age:
X Model confidence in yourself. Take on a new task, be positive, and acknowledge your own anxiety.
X Don’t get upset about mistakes. Children To thrive, children need are just learning. books, etc.? your child can do to trust in their own Remember the process like setting the table, X Celebrate their capabilities, while at over end product is putting away their effort with detailed the same time knowing important. clothes, feeding the and specific praise. they can handle not pet, etc. Example: “Susie, being successful at a X Allow your child to fail & embrace I loved how you X Show them they are skill, challenge or task. imperfections.No one followed directions, loved no matter the It’s through practice and is perfect. Trial and picked up your toys outcome. mastery of a skill and error is how children and put them in the rebounding from failure X Set them up for learn best. baskets. That was so that children build healthy success. Be prepared helpful!” X Assist your child in confidence. and organized and finding their passion X Expect them to want give them something Here are some helpful and interest. Do they to pitch in and help. you know they will be and healthy ways to build like music, sports, Assign simple chores successful at doing.
How to Preserve Your Child’s Mental Health People are like batteries. Sometimes we just need a good charge to help us continue through the day! That “charge” helps us all bounce back from stress. To help kids be resilient, think about the word PARKING. P – Play + Laughter + Smiles + Eye Contact = CONNECTION! • Short term side effects of connection = Brain shuts down stress. • Long term side effect of connections= Bond builds and increases cooperation! A - Ask about your child’s interests. • Balance doing things they think are fun and interesting to spark the JOY! R - Relax. • Teach, model and practice breathing skills for calming down. K - Kids are kids. • Let them feel and share their feelings. • Labeling the feelings you see. “I see you’re sad,
you don’t have a smile on your face.” • Problem solving can occur later. I - Include them, so they feel needed and wanted. N - Notice your child’s emotions. • Notice the good things your child is doing. It make them experience positivity, pride and want to continue that feeling. G - Go Play together!! • A 2 minute dance party or game of Freeze can change the brain state and positively impacts a child and adults mental health. • Uninterrupted play can disrupt stress, and add joyful, playful moments to the day. This PARKING starts with play and ends with play. It only takes minutes to recharge and provide that extra juice can help adults and kids bounce back stronger. If you are ever concerned about your child’s mental health, please reach out to LCCAA Head Start’s Mental Health Consultant Donna Jezewski at Donna. Jezewski@ohioguidestone.org for ideas, tips and strategies.
