Key Factors That Develop Self-Confidence

In order to build self-confidence, children must not only experience success, but also have more opportunities to succeed. Failures (which are really setbacks') should be small and should teach the child something useful. Above all, children must not be protected from such failures', or from finding out the consequences for themselves, as parents are apt to do. Otherwise, the first time youngsters experience a major setback they will not be able to deal with it. It's the little failures' and frustrations of life, the very things parents themselves have experienced in their own development yet wish to prevent for their children, that build personal confidence, resilience, security, a feeling of competence and self-reliance. When they are denied their share of failures' or opportunities to act on their own because of being over-protected, children become anxious, incapable and dependent. They also tend to be early under-achievers, lacking that basic belief in their abilities which is necessary for successful development.

Importantly, the routine interactions and expectations within the family underpin self-confidence in children. How often do you openly and readily recognise your child for being successful? Compare that to how often you notice your child when he is doing something wrong. How often do you praise her? Hug and embrace her? Challenge him? Tell him how much he means to you?

Even the worst-behaved children are successful and positive most of the time.

It is a constant attention to negativity, an unrealistic desire for perfection, a distrust of tour children a desire for them to live out our dreams in exactly the way we wish, as well as a failure to give children the necessary room for their own growth, which strangle any form of positive behaviour and keep us disappointed in them as people.

To compensate for that, an increasing proportion of the younger generation is always attempting to imitate a celebrity whom they idolise. In many ways this is an attempt to disguise the lack of confidence in themselves by trying to portray a new look or face to other people. They pretend to be someone else, especially for the benefit of the significant others, like their friends, from whom they are striving to gain approval or recognition. Imitating a star is fine, but not at the expense of one's own body or health. Some people might take it to the extreme where they develop an eating disorder, like anorexia,

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