Autism Soccer: Help your child gain self-confidence

Being a vital part of their process of self-confidence is a gift that you are giving them.

As a parent, there are things that we wish we could control. One of those is the way our child sees the world, especially when it comes to self-confidence. For children with special needs, this is one of the main problems. Small acts of bullying can harm them incredibly, and this, in turn, makes their lives complicated, as they don’t often grasp the reasons behind those behaviors. For them, the world is a great place, as for every child, but sometimes their peers don’t have that same opinion and look for ways to harm them. This undermines their self-confidence and makes them doubt their own behavior, making them feel frustrated and confused as to why they have to go through those things. Parents and caretakers alike can help them avoid those feelings, and increase their self-confidence, creating a protective shield against the mistreat of others, helping them understand and realize their true and endless potential.

Throughout the years I’ve seen many efforts to tackle the mistreat of the world. And among those, these are the ones that have stood out and that are proven to be effective for increasing confidence levels in children:

Set the example: Children learn from parents, and if you don’t portray a confident image, your child will hardly have one. Improve yourself and you can see how his or her attitude will change instantly, as they’ll have a positive example of confidence at home.

Use games as boosters: Playing and letting them win is a way to set their self-confidence. But beware, don’t think you always have to let them win while playing, but if you find alternatives that teach them something, your child will be even more grateful. Finding games that are hands-on, and that have results (finding something, building, drawing) helps them feel completely safe.

Give positive feedback: Your child will always look up to you to find support. If you as a parent work in giving them a positive feedback, and using words as fuel for their imagination and confidence, you’ll be raising a happy child.

Avoid comparison: Telling your child how other children does a thing and they don’t, is a sure way to undermine their self-worth. You need to be attentive of the language you use with them, avoid using derogatory terms to express about their actions and by all means avoid comparisons.

At Autism Soccer they look to increase children’s self-esteem through stimulant activities that will make them feel more confident and positive. With a personal and hands-on approach, they use sports as a tool to increase their connection with others and allow them to feel free in a safe environment. All this while giving them the much needed physical activity that will help them feel stronger and more energized while also helping them get rid of stress and self-doubt like only sports can do!