Give Your Child The Gift Of Confidence
By David Griffiths

To me the most precious gift you can bestow on your child, after loving and caring for them, is the gift of "Confidence".

A child with confidence turns into an adult with confidence and an adult with confidence can achieve anything they set their mind and heart to.

When bringing up a child it is very easy to over-worry, over-protect, over-support and over-criticise in a well-intentioned, but misguided, attempt to help them through the obstacles and demands of everyday life.

In order to bestow the gift of confidence on your child it is important to remember to stand back a little and allow your child to learn from their own mistakes.

Of course, you have a responsibility and a duty as a parent to protect your child and ensure they are safe. But you also have a duty as a parent to ultimately make yourself "surplus to requirements" and redundant from your child's life.

This may sound harsh but you ultimately want your child to grow into an independent, confident, happy and successful adult - you do not want to bring up someone who is "tied to the apron strings" and cannot think or do anything for themselves. How can we give our children the gift of confidence whilst still fulfilling our responsibility towards their safety and protection?

The secret is in "risk assessment".

Whatever age your child is and whatever stage they are going through, they will be pushing the boundaries and wanting to try new things. Your child may be a toddler who wants to explore and delve into all your cupboards; your child may be a teenager who wants to stay out later and travel around on public transport unaccompanied. As a responsible parent you should assess the risks and allow your child to go as far as you feel is safe before stepping in and supporting them.

The other secret is "communication".