Raising confident kids is not as easy as one might think. There are so many factors that go into nurturing this mindset that it is easy to overthink the process. The one thing to remember is that parents are their children’s first teachers, and in that regard, they are the ones who reinforce good behavior. […]
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Although bullying has long been a part of playground dynamics, media coverage has shone a national spotlight on it that has heightened the awareness of the problem among parents, teachers, school officials, and students. With roughly one in three schoolchildren in grades six through 10 having at least one encounter with a bully, more people […]
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The easiest way to deal with a bully is to never have one in the first place. Although this may seem like common sense, most people don’t know how to keep themselves from becoming a target. The key is to project confidence. Bullies look for easy targets; those who look like they won’t fight back […]
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By Lauren Tessin, Guest contributor When it comes to children, they have a mind of their own. Like anyone, they all have different personalities and have had different life experiences to help shape their personality. Although there are many different traits we would like to see our children have, confidence is one of the most […]
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Although we sometimes talk about confidence as something that a person “has,” confidence actually involves a very specific set of behaviors. Identifying these traits as desirable is the first step. Children need a clear set of expectations that they understand are important and know they must follow. To help them recognize the importance of the […]
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Children who are quiet and unassertive find it difficult to interact with both peers and adults. They can find themselves overlooked in both school and social settings. To “break out of their shells,” they must learn to build friendships and gain leadership skills – both essential qualities for personal development. If your child is shy, […]
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What does it mean to grow strong character? In general, the term character, as applied to a person, is represented by the values and qualities that make us who we are, that shape our attitudes and behaviors. So, when we say that someone has a strong character, we mean that they are demonstrating some combination […]
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It is our experience in our martial arts schools that when we start to build a child’s confidence, his or her self-assuredness builds and gains momentum. The best way to start your child on this path upward is to start by giving him or her small, relatively attainable goals. For example, in the beginning, we […]
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How do you describe confidence? There are some definite physical qualities involved in projecting the look of confidence. These qualities include: * Great posture * Good eye contact * A loud and clear voice Eye contact: In our martial arts classes we demand that our students look us in the eye when we are talking […]
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A child with good self confidence is easy to spot in a crowd. He or she possesses a bright, engaging smile and a positive attitude. Effortlessly, this child makes friends and accepts leadership opportunities. Timid and shy children, however, are too often relegated to the sidelines. For these children, the problems start small, a child […]
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Why do some children shy away from participating in activities? It’s certainly not because they lack the ability to kick a ball or skills to raise their hand in class. Shyness and a lack of self confidence force children onto the sidelines and away from the action. Children who fail to participate in activities do […]
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