It is important to respond to your child in ways that help build your child’s confidence. You may find yourself saying “good job” when your child does something like complete an art project or learn a new skill. If used too often, this phrase doesn’t help children feel proud of themselves. There are other more positive ways you can praise your child that aid in building their self-esteem and confidence.

Three effective ways to praise your child include:

1. Describing what they did – Using enthusiasm, describe what they accomplished. For example, saying “Wow! You used your crayons to draw a tree!” This acknowledges their work without giving them external validation.
2. Asking them if they are proud of their work – to promote confidence in your child, remind them that it is important to feel proud of yourself. You can do this by asking them if they are proud of themselves after they accomplish something!
3. Asking them questions about the accomplishment – focus on your child’s accomplishment by asking them about the process or favorite parts of the project or activity. For example, if they learn to ride a bike, you might want to ask them, “how did it felt to ride a bike by yourself?"

These are just a few ways you can positively respond to your child that build their confidence and promotes relationship building. Responding to your child in this way may promote their trust in you as their supporter as well as adding to their positive feelings of themselves.