Develop Your Child's Self Confidence

Let your child do as many things by himself or herself.

Young children need to be watched closely. However, they learn to be independent and to develop confidence by doing tasks such as dressing themselves and putting their toys
away. It's important to let your child make choices, rather than deciding everything for her.

Encourage your child to play with other children and to be with adults who are not family members. Preschoolers need
social opportunities to learn to see the point of view of others. Young children are more likely to get along with teachers and classmates if they have had experiences with different adults and children.

Show a positive attitude toward learning and toward school. Children come into this world with a powerful need to discover and to explore. If your child is to keep her curiosity, you need to encourage it. Showing enthusiasm for what your child does ("You've drawn a great picture!") helps
to make her proud of her achievements.

Children also become excited about starting school when their parents show excitement about this big step. As your
child gets ready to enter kindergarten, talk to him about school. Talk about the exciting things that he will do in
kindergarten, such as making art projects, singing and playing games. Be enthusiastic as you describe all the
important things that he will learn from his teacher--how to
read, how to how to count and how to measure and weigh things.