Belief – First Key to Success in Life
Belief is a word that can apply to many things. Belief can be a religious term, but it does not have to be. Believing in anything, especially ourselves, is a core value that we try to instill in children from a young age. If beliefs are sound, then so many other core disciplines can fall into place. Things like determination, confidence, hope, faith, strength, and more are going to come into play when there is a strong belief. Here, we will talk about how to get your child to believe in themselves. This type of thinking will be a lifelong battle, but it is best started at a young age.
Trust
Trusting your child can be difficult. Their plan for themselves may not be exactly what you had envisioned, but you need to trust that they are on their path. Trust can also mean believing your child. If they say they will be careful on their way to school in the morning, trust them. Try to imagine your children as much as possible without putting them in danger and showing them that you believe in them.
Don’t Make Things Perfect
If you try to make your child’s life perfect, they won’t learn how to deal with any of the difficult life decisions and battles that are going to hit them at some point. It can be hard to watch, but you must let your children struggle a little so that they can learn. After all, how did you learn? So how does this play into belief? If things are perfect throughout an entire childhood, the first time a child fails, they will think it is something that they caused, and it will create some issues in self-confidence. Instead, teach your child what to do should they fail and let them believe in themselves, knowing that even if they do fail, they can recover.
Praising Your Child
There is so much debate over praise that it can become confusing as a parent to know what to say. The bottom line is that you need to praise your child effectively. If you only praise your child when they win a championship, they will think that only winning is good. They will believe that winning is the only way to get your approval. Instead, try and praise, even when things don’t go well. Say something like, “you handled that loss with character.” Also, don’t forget to praise a child for little things. “The way you put your laundry away without being asked was great.” Don’t make them think they must move mountains to gain your belief in them. If your child knows that you believe in them, they will have a much easier time believing in themselves.
Belief is a complex topic, and there are many things you can do to help your child believe in a goal, or you or themselves. At Kids Martial Arts Troy, we do everything we can to let your child know that we believe in them, and in turn, they should believe in themselves.