by Heather Tripp

Created on: January 11, 2011   Last Updated: January 13, 2011

There are people who seem to ooze confidence, while others can barely maintain eye contact. Children are no different. There are children who shuffle into a room, and others that barrel in with the intent of conquering that room. Fortunately for those children who were not just naturally gifted with a large amount of confidence, self-confidence can be a learned trait.

As a parent, you want your child to excel at life. You want them to have an independent, confident, fearless attitude, so that they can go out, and conquer the world. There are many things you can do to help your child build an endless amount of self-confidence, starting from birth through adult-hood.

Make Eye Contact-
Eye contact is a vital element in human interaction. Whether your child is two days old, two years old, or older, they can benefit greatly from your eye contact with them. You making eye contact with your child sends them the message that they are important; important enough to have your undivided attention. This is also a form of communication that can build and/or strengthen the emotional bond between you and your child.

Get on Their Level-
Being at the same level, directly in front of your child makes it is easier for them to focus their attention on you. When you are communicating to them, taking this stance will make it easier for them to maintain eye contact and they listen better because of less distractions.  When they are talking to you, this stance tells them simply that they have your focused attention, and you are ready to listen to and value what they have to say.

Labels-
Parents often sculpt their children’s personality unknowingly by labeling their child. If your child is often called a “monster” because they are messy, or because they are taller or heavier than other children, your child will take on the traits of a monster. If your child is referred to as “wild” you can bet he or she will view themselves, and begin to act, “wild”. Be aware of any negative titles your child may be described as. Giving your child labels is fine, but make sure those labels aren’t harmful to your child emotionally. Instead of saying they are messy when they take crayons to the wall, call them creative. They are an artist, and artists are not only greatly accepted, they are admired!

Call Them by Their Name-
One label you should always use with your child is their name. Nicknames and pet names are cute, but when you address your child by

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