18 Things To Raise A More Confident Child

We keep learning and learning along the month of November and our focus in Coaching the Micro Division (U6-U8). In this opportunity we invite you to read the following article from acclaimed psychologist Carl Pickhardt, posted on The Rush e-Learning Center.

Carl Pickhardt, a psychologist and author of 15 parenting books, says on his article ’18 Things to Raise a More Confident Child’ that a kid who lacks confidence will be reluctant to try new or challenging things because they’re scared of failing or disappointing others. This can end up holding them back later in life and prevent them from having a successful career.

This article invites all coaches to self-reflect on:

1. What common challenges to do you see in coaching with tip #1 “appreciate effort, no matter if they win or lose?” and tip #8 “never criticize their performance”?
2. How can a coach give honest, realistic feedback while still implementing these strategies?
3. In tip #4, the author encourages us to allow kids to “act their age”, what are the developmental characteristics for kids in ages you coach?
4. What types of behaviors might you expect from those players?
5. How might you implement Tip #9 “Treat mistakes as building blocks for learning” and tip #13 “praise them when they deal with adversity” when helping players find solutions during practices or games?

Share your thoughts! And don’t forget to visit The Rush e-Learning Center for top quality content on Coach Education.