Boost your child’s confidence

There are several simple but important things you can do to help your toddler develop into a confident and happy child…

Being liked

Give your baby plenty of smiles. It sounds like a simple thing to do but in fact, your smiling can help your child to feel that he’s liked.

Feeling of control

Spend some time each day playing with toys that he chooses. This gives him a sense of control and boosts his confidence.

Taking notice

When your child does something good, give him acknowledgement. Be specific in your praise, for instance say that he’s being kind when he shares, and being helpful when he gets his shoes on by himself.

Talk

Good communication develops when you talk to your child from an early stage. Point things out when you’re out in the pushchair. Say the full name of the thing rather than a baby version of it.

Eye contact

Making eye contact when you communicate with your child and when he’s saying something ensures that he feels he’s important to you.

Listen

When your child is chatting, listen to what he’s saying and give a response so that he knows you’re interested in what he’s saying.

Sing

Children love music and singing rhymes. Make time to sing nursery rhymes and do all the actions together.

Read

From an early age, read aloud to your baby. Bath books, pop-ups and activity books are all great fun. Reading aloud the same book over and over again will make the words familiar. Making it a part of the bedtime routine helps the child to relax and get ready for sleep as well.