Raising children is a full time job,
one that we recognize at Playzone as something that can be challenging but
worthwhile. Here at Celbridge Playzone we see a whole host of children who we
watch grow and develop into fun loving mischief-makers. We have developed
unique relationships not only with the children we see on a regular basis but
also their parents and it is for that very reason that we seek to help and
support parents just as much as the children. Our blog is the place where
parents can come not only to learn about Playzone but also to get some top tips
on helping their children to grow and develop in to the little mischief makers
we want to see them become, loving life and reminding us adults of the importance
of living life to the full and taking advantage of any opportunities that come
our way.
Parenting can be stressful, we all
want the best for our children, we all want them to grown up to be confident
and happy but this can sometimes be challenging. Sometimes as parents we can
find ourselves unintentionally preventing our children from being as confident
as they could be. Confidence is essential for children as it helps them to grow
and succeed in many different areas of life which is why we have sourced some
of the top tips for helping you to ensure that your children grown to be happy
and confident, testing their limits and living life to the full.
Facing their fears
From a young age it is essential to
help your children to face their fears, both developmental fears and learned
fears. Overcoming learned fears such as a fear of dogs or spiders could be a
daunting task for parents, especially if they share many of the same fears but
it is something that will allow your children to develop confidence and allow
them to gain a sense of achievement, that they have overcome a fear. It is
essential to avoid avoiding ensuring your children can grow and develop.
Nature
Many children develop when they are
outdoors, experiencing new things, making new friends, and gaining a sense of
autonomy. Engaging with organizations such as Scouting Ireland will not only
allow your children to learn new skills but will provide them with a level of
autonomy which will allow their confidence to develop along with a greater
understanding of the world around them, reducing fears and foster a greater
sense of achievement within.
Praise
Praise is crucial for ensuring that children
know what they have done well and encouraging a boost in confidence. Nowadays
with the media focusing on looks rather than what people do, skills they have
and abilities they can develop it is essential for us as parents to focus on
what our children do and achieve rather than how they look or how others might
view them in aiding the development of their confidence, encouraging children
to link their self-worth with the positive things they do will enable them to recognize
their talents and create a positive self-image.
Try, try, and try again
We all learn through our mistakes but often
children can get frustrated when something doesn’t work our for them the first
time round. For this reason many children find themselves lacking confidence in
certain areas because they fell they cannot do something. In order to encourage
our children’s confidence to develop we must remain children, constantly that
if at first you don’t succeed try again. When a child try’s again and again and
eventually achieves their confidence will be boosted and they will develop a
strong sense of achievement, instilling personal values of persistence and
patience.
Responsibility
When children are given responsibilities
and trust they often seek to live up to the expectations they feel this
responsibility imposes upon them along with maintain trust. When children are
given responsibility and trust and succeed in maintaining that trust we often
see children grown and develop, building confidence and seeking more responsibility.
As parents we may avoid giving our children responsibilities for fear of
loosing them and seeing them grow up to fast but in order to ensure that out
children grow up to be beaming with confidence and full of autonomy we must
give into our own fears in order to allow our children to develop.
Here at Celbridge Playzone we often see
children develop confidence by completing simple tasks such as getting to the
top of the slide and finding the courage to come down the slide without a
parent. It is these small steps that allow children to grow and develop into
confident children. Being more than just a play centre we here at Playzone have
recognised the role we play in children’s lives in encouraging and supporting
them to achieve things. These small achievements, which happen at Playzone,
have the power to lay the foundations for your children to develop in confident
children.
