Confidence Doesn’t Always Look The Same In Children

Some children show it loudly.

Others show it quietly.

One child might call for the ball, take risks and bounce back quickly.

Another might need time, space and reassurance before they feel ready to express themselves.

Both can be confident.

It just looks different.

This is where comparison often causes problems.

When we compare children (especially in football) we usually end up measuring the visible signs of confidence:

Who’s loudest

Who’s the most assertive

Who’s always answering the coaches questions

But confidence isn’t a personality type.

It’s a response to the environment a child is in.

Some environments suit certain children but others can unintentionally shrink confidence – even in children who have always appeared confident.

That’s why confidence so often grows in the right environment.

One that understands how children learn, allows them to make mistakes

and doesn’t expect everyone to look confident in the same way.

If this sounds like your child, it may be worth thinking about whether their current environment truly suits them