Looking to build your foster child’s confidence?
It can be heart-breaking for carers when a child with very little confidence enters the home. Watching them struggle with shyness and shut themselves away, rather than wanting to spend time with others, can be hard to deal with. You want to make a difference and make them feel confident and happy. But how can you do that?
There are many challenges that come with foster care and confidence-building is one of them. The good news is, it’s actually quite simple to boost a child’s confidence and below we share just 3 ways you can help…
1. Praise them often, but not TOO often
Praise is something many foster children sadly haven’t received a lot of in their short lives. However, it’s one of the key things that links to self-confidence. A child needs to know when they’re doing something right and feel confident in their natural abilities. When they get good grades, or just do something thoughtful for others, praise them and show them they did a good thing.
However, don’t fall into the common trap of praising a child too much. Regardless of how shy they may be right now, over-the-top praise isn’t going to help. Children can sense false praise and it can actually have a negative effect, rather than a positive one. So, try not to be too enthusiastic.
2. Use story time to address fear and challenges
One of the best ways to build confidence is to address any fears or challenges that come along. Books are an excellent way to do this. You’ll find many kids books that have fear-facing themes and stories about overcoming challenges. All of them feature a positive ending, showing that while facing your fears can be scary, things do turn out alright in the end.
3. Build on their natural skills and abilities
One thing that contributes greatly to a child’s confidence is knowing they are good at something. Every child has their own unique skills and talents. By focusing on those and helping them to enhance their abilities, it can really go a long way to improving their confidence.
Why not see if there are any local classes that might fit the child’s interests? Or help them practice their hobbies at home and encourage their success?
The three tips above, although simple, can help boost a child’s confidence. Remember, every child is different and some are naturally more shy than others. Be patient, understanding and work on building up trust between the two of you. That way, they will feel more comfortable opening up and trusting you when you encourage them to face their fears.
Have you had success boosting your foster child’s confidence? Tell us how over on our Facebook page…