Breaking large or difficult tasks into smaller, more manageable chunks is one of the best things that a parent can do to foster self confidence in a child. If a child perceives a task as too difficult, they will likely avoid it altogether. According to Zero to Three, “When you help your child break down these challenging tasks into smaller steps, he is much more likely to feel confident that he can tackle them. You are also teaching your child how to use this strategy to accomplish the many big tasks he will face as he grows.”

For example, we wrote a story about food allergies where we break what might be a complex and intimidating task into simple components. The story helps the child develop awareness of how his body might react if they eat an allergen and outlines who to tell and what to say if that does happen. At the end, we provide a prompt for the child to practice saying the words they might need if they experience an allergic reaction.

Affirming the child’s growing capabilities, and articulating feelings of pride and love between the parent and child as they gain new skills is very effective. These positive outcomes set the stage for the child’s growing self-confidence as they approach their next developmental step.