Being a parent, you always want your kids to become confident, happy and a successful adult, who are able to face the world fearlessly. But what can you do to help them overcome the fears that might hold them back? Here are 10 ways for teaching your kids to have a fearless mindset.
1. Acknowledge The Fear, Don’t Just Dismiss It
Simply telling your child that you should not be afraid, or to stop acting silly, is just not an effective way to overcome fear. The fear needs to be acknowledged first before you ask them to overcome it.
2. Let Them Know A Failure Is Just An Option
Society places a huge amount of pressure on everyone to not to fail, but we are forgetting that failure is often a major key to the learning process. Model this behavior for them, and show them show them how to turn your failures around into a positive one.
3. Don’t Pass Your Fear Onto Them
This is one that most of us are aware of and yet, being a parent, you probably are guilty of it at times. Show them how you deal with it and how you are working to overcome those fears.
4. Help Them Identify The Real Fear
An important step in overcoming a fear is to clearly pinpoint what the actual fear is, so help them to do this and then work together to address it.
5. Show Them The Benefits
Sometimes a child can be so focused on the fear that they can’t see beyond it. Talk through the benefits of overcoming the fear of them, what they will gain, what it might lead on to.
6. Remind Them Of Previous Time When They Overcame A Fear
Reminding your child of the previous times when they had successfully overcome a fear, this will provide them a certain boost of confidence and let them overcome other fears.
7. Avoid Comparing Them To Others
Making continual comparisons to other kids can be unhelpful and may make your child feel inadequate.
8. Teach Them To Recognize Valid Fears
While overcoming fears is important, we need to remember that some fears are perfectly valid and healthy. Teach them to recognize the difference between important life-saving fears, and irrational fears, by talking through risks and consequences.
9. Show Them How Facing Fear Can Be Done In Small Steps
Sometimes the best way to overcome a fear is to leap right into it, other times though it’s better to tackle it slowly and gently. Plan out with them and show them how to approach in small stages.
10. Constantly Remind Them That They Are Not Alone
Probably the most important one is to remind them regularly that they don’t have to face their fears alone. This will grow their fearless mindset and help give them the confidence to move forward.
