Wondering how to teach confidence to kids? On the surface, it seems that teaching kids how to have self confidence would be a big part of teaching children about God.
I mean, doesn’t it make sense that raising self confident kids is the key?
But I disagree. Our kids need more—way more—than just self confidence in order to be truly successful.
Instead of teaching our kids how to get self confidence, we must build confidence in kids by teaching them this concept: “God is my confidence.”
We need to teach children how to have a godly confidence—an unshakeable, unchanging assurance—that is founded on a dependence on God.
By teaching our kids how to develop self confidence based on God’s promises (instead of their own abilities) we can give our kids the firm foundation they need to accomplish the beautiful plans God has for them (Jeremiah 29:11).
WHY WE SHOULDN’T TEACH KIDS SELF CONFIDENCE
Perhaps it sounds wrong for Christian parents to not teach their kids how to have self confidence.
But, you see, teaching kids how to have self confidence shouldn’t be the goal. To be quite frank, self-confidence (at least the way it’s defined by societal standards) isn’t biblical.
Instead, we want our kids self worth to be determined not by their fleeting emotions (or the thoughts of those around them) but by the unchanging, deep riches of God’s love for them.
That kind of self-worth doesn’t come from being more confident in self but from developing a daily dependence in God.
P.S. The best way to how to teach kids to be confident? We want to encourage them to grow closer to God everyday through a daily Bible time.
I’m not talking about a “check the box” Bible lesson. I’m talking about teaching kids how to understand and apply scripture to everyday life.
In order to build confidence in kids, our children need to know how to make wise godly decisions in their lives based on the Bible. And that only comes through knowing how to study the Bible.
I want to share with you a simple way to teach kids how to study the Bible in less than 10 minutes a day! This free video course share this popular Bible study method–the 5Rs Bible Study™ Method–and gives practical ways that you can help kids develop a quiet time habit.
Teaching kids how to have confidence starts with teaching them how to know God and how to get answers about life from the Bible.
And this free Bible course shows you exactly how to teach your kids to study the Bible and, therefore how to teach confidence to kids in a biblical way.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FREE VIDEO COURSE ON HOW TO TEACH KIDS TO STUDY THE BIBLE.
A BETTER PLAN FOR TEACHING KIDS CONFIDENCE
Since the enemy often uses society, culture and peer pressure to attack our kids’ confidence, imagine how different our world would be if we built confidence in kids by teaching them to find their worth through God’s eyes?
Wouldn’t you love to develop this same godly confidence in your kids–creating a generation of children who define their self-esteem by God’s promises?
Let’s discover how we can teach kids godly confidence that’s founded not on our children’s imperfect abilities but on God’s great promises and plans.
My husband and I firmly believe that if our kids can grasp these 11 biblical truths we will be raising the confident kids we long for them to become.
11 TRUTHS TO TEACH KIDS GODLY SELF CONFIDENCE
Let’s walk through each of these foundational truths that teach kids how to have confidence based on God’s promises for them.
I’ve written each one from God’s perspective as if He were speaking to our kids directly.
Godly Self Confidence Truth #1:
My love for you lasts forever, and it’s because of this love that I’m always wanting to be close to you. (Jeremiah 31:3)
How awesome would it be if our kids were convinced–deep down in their soul–that they were continually being pursued by God’s love!
I believe that if our kids knew that they were wholly and eternally loved by their creator (and allowed that principle to build their self-worth), they would never wonder how to have more self-confidence.
Godly Self Confidence Truth #2:
I know all of your thoughts and I know every part of you. Don’t be afraid to share your heart with me. (Psalm 139:1)
One of the enemy’s most insidious tactics is to tell our kids that they’ve made too many mistakes to be close to God. He wants to destroy our kids’ confidence by somehow convincing them that they are irreparably flawed.
And yet, God tells us over and over in His word that He has perfectly formed us and that he knows every aspect of our lives (the good, the bad and the ugly). He is not afraid of our mistakes and in fact, wants us to share them with Him as means to grow closer!
Friends, we must teach our kids that depending on God–trusting Him to love us through all our fears and mistakes–is how to have self-confidence that weathers any situation.
Godly Self Confidence Truth #3:
You were handmade by me—perfectly crafted by my hands—and I call my creation of you “marvelous.” (Psalm 139:14)
Society has done an excellent job of portraying how we “should” look. We’re told daily what’s trending and what’s not. Magazine covers proclaim what clothing size is the “right” one in order to fit in and to be accepted.
From an early age, our kids are taught how to have self-confidence based on how they look.
Of course, as women, you and I know how destructive self-image issues can be to our self-confidence! So imagine how incredibly powerful it would be if our children could grow up knowing that they are perfectly crafted by an awesome creator?
Godly Self Confidence Truth #4:
Even when things are hard, let my deep love for you remind you that I will be there to help you through it. (Isaiah 43:2)
Our family is currently going through a difficult trial and, let me tell you, being able to depend on Christ through this challenging time is what has kept our family sane.
If we were depending on our self-confidence, my husband and I would be overwhelmed with doubts and uncertainty. I’m so grateful that God has proven over and over in my life that He is dependable and faithful, and that challenging life seasons are an opportunity for me to demonstrate to my kids how to grow deeper in self-confidence based on God’s promises.
Trials are also an awesome way to teach kids about perseverance!
