Série Saúde Mental
Building Your Child’s Confidence
In this session, we’ll focus on the importance of fostering a healthy identity in children and draw on the extensive experience of Dr. Skinner, who emphasizes the significance of adult behavior and interaction with children.
By incorporating key insights, parents and caregivers can create a supportive and nurturing environment that fosters a healthy identity in children. Remember, the most important thing is to be there for your child, offering love, support, and guidance as they navigate the world and discover who they are.
Key Takeaways for Parents
Be Mindful of Labels
Change Habits and Patterns
Attune to Your Child
Promote Resiliency
Foster Creativity Through Play
Develop a Growth Mindset
Emphasize effort over innate talent. Teach children that abilities can be developed through hard work and persistence. Use language that promotes the belief that they can achieve difficult things.
Create Continuous Opportunities for Connection
Model and Teach Positive Interactions
Things You Can Do to Build Your Child’s Confidence
1. Foster a Growth Mindset
Encourage Effort and Resilience: Teach your child that effort and persistence are more important than inherent talent. Encourage them to tackle challenging tasks and praise their efforts rather than just their achievements. Remind them, “I can do hard things,” and share stories of times when you or others have succeeded through perseverance.
Model Growth-Oriented Language: Use language that promotes growth. For instance, when your child faces a difficult task, say things like, “What did you learn from this experience?” or “How can we approach this differently next time?”
2. Create Playful and Creative Opportunities
Engage in Play: Dedicate time to play with your children. This can involve imaginative play, playing sports, or participating in creative activities like drawing or building. These interactions help children develop social skills, improve hand-eye coordination, and stimulate their imagination.
Integrate Play into Daily Activities: Incorporate playful elements into routine tasks. For example, turn tidying up into a game by setting a timer and seeing who can pick up the most items. This not only makes chores more enjoyable but also strengthens your bond with your child.
3. Develop Emotional Resilience
Acknowledge and Honor Emotions: Encourage your child to express their feelings and validate their emotions. Ask them, “What are you feeling right now?” and listen attentively. Teach them that it’s okay to feel sad, angry, or frustrated and that these feelings are part of the human experience.
Guide Emotional Regulation: Help your child learn to manage their emotions by discussing different ways to cope with stress and setbacks. Share techniques like deep breathing, journaling, or talking about their feelings with a trusted adult.