How to Improve Confidence in Elementary-Age Kids

“My child is really struggling…”

“She hates school and shies away from telling me about her day…”

“I know he could do it, but it seems like he’s given up even trying…”

These are the kinds of phrases we hear often from parents of young kids—and it’s heartbreaking.

 

These are kids who often don’t have a “diagnosed” learning struggle, yet again and again they seem to float just below the line of perceived success.

 

Whether these are standards they place on themselves or they come from outside, low confidence in young kids can often translate to misbehavior, burnout, and struggling to keep up with school.

 

This often perpetuates the cycle where they feel left behind, and as parents, it’s so hard to know how to help!

 

If these scenarios sound familiar, here are 4 ways you can help build confidence in your child:

 

Start the Day with Kid-Focused Affirmations

Create a vision with your child for the things they really want to do well that day. Try to focus on things that are not performance-based, but rather the character qualities that your child exhibits that you want to praise.

 

Some great affirmations to lead your kids through could be things like:

• I am strong, inside and out

• This is exactly where I am meant to be right now

• I will always do my best

• I love being me

 

These are reminders that yes, it’s important to work hard; but beyond that, they have value in who they are, no matter how school goes that day.

 

Set Reachable Goals (and Celebrate Little Victories)

If your child is struggling academically or socially, start setting a small goal for the day (and celebrating the little things in a big way).

 

When kids see us valuing their effort and success, they will develop a greater sense of their own worth, which translates to improved confidence in all areas of their lives.

 

Especially for the child who struggles academically and desperately wants to succeed, these small personal goals go a long way to creating an overall improved attitude!

 

Ask Questions

It’s important to take a dive at the end of each day to try to peel back the layers and see what really happened. If your child is discouraged, is it a personal goal that they failed to meet? Or is their teacher disappointed in his or her performance?

 

Peppering your kids with questions after a school day will probably be met with an eye roll, but asking just 1 or 2 more insightful questions to start a conversation can really shed light on your child’s inner workings.

 

Three great starting points are:

• “What did you do really well today?”

• “Was there anything really hard that you conquered today?”

• “What would you do differently if you could go back?”

 

Modeling these answers from your own day can also show your child that wishing things could be different is universal—and you CAN make those changes, starting now!

 

Set Your Kids Up for Success

Often, there are lower brain skills that contribute to poor confidence in kids.

 

For example, if a child has high logic & reasoning skills and struggles in processing speed, they will know they should be able to do the task in front of them and grow easily frustrated that they can’t.

 

These skill discrepancies are so common. And what’s amazing is that virtually EVERY student who completes a brain training program walks out with more confidence that translates into all areas of their lives, even beyond school performance.

 

Whether your child has a diagnosed learning struggle like ADHD or dyslexia, or they just seem to float below the surface and need a little push to experience success, we’re here to help.

 

Your struggling student can break through those barriers and create success. Take this FREE Brain Skills Quiz today to figure out which skills your child may need to build, and contact us to learn how we can help!