One of the core ingredients our teens need to become successful adults is confidence. Confidence enables them to think outside-the-box and grab the opportunities before them. Teens with confidence may find it easier to rebound from failure, seeing it as an opportunity for growth rather than a catastrophe. Confidence may contribute to their belief that they will ultimately recover from even the greatest challenges.
Confidence is not something we can give to our children; but, we can nurture it in them. We do this by authentically noticing their efforts and supporting their development of skills. By that, we mean we don’t build confidence by showering our teens with unearned praise. Rather, confidence is rooted in competence.
But we also support our adolescents’ confidence by standing beside them as they navigate challenges. Our unwavering presence allows our teens to maintain their confidence, even if other forces in their life are discouraging. c/o: Ken Ginsburg /Resilience
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