Self Efficacy
Think about a time when your child dealt with something that challenged them. How did they approach the problem? Did they face it head-on with certainty, or did they shy away?
Let’s work harder to make our kiddos into self-efficacy warriors. In a world filled with so much uncertainty let’s make sure they always feel certain about themselves.
A child with self-efficacy is one who is sure about themselves and knows that they are equipped to handle the things that come their way. They are resilient, highly motivated, and have a stronger sense of commitment.
“In order to succeed, people need a sense of self-efficacy, to struggle together with resilience to meet the inevitable obstacles and inequities of life.” -Albert Bandura
It’s common for most people to place focus on all of the things we can measure such as test scores and academic achievements but there aren’t always ways to measure the ways your child believes in themselves or strives to do better because they know they can.
Constant practice of the following list is a great way to ensure your little one is constantly reinforcing this belief that they are enough and fully equipped to handle the hard things that may come their way.
Here are five things you can do to raise a kiddo’s self-efficacy:
Let them create something - a new recipe, a game, have them pack their own lunch (with guidelines such as “you can pick whatever you want but it has to have a grain, a protein, a vegetable, and a fruit, etc..”)
Let them help you - do something they know how to do such as play with their toys and let them teach you how they turn on or what the rules of the game are. They are in charge and should feel in complete control.
Teach goal setting - have them establish some short-term goals so that they can strive to achieve within the next two/three weeks. Post it somewhere where they can see it every day and make a plan to achieve it.
Create a success journal - list skills, talents, and strategies that made them successful. Create a failed section and enforce that failure is good because you tried. Every time you try you get just a little better and a little closer to the outcome you’re striving for.
Give them chores - chores help establish a sense of responsibility that will carry on with them through the rest of their lives. If possible, establish daily/weekly/monthly goals and let that be their area of expertise in your household.
I have gone ahead and created a few resources for your kiddos to use on their journey of self-efficacy. The Self Efficacy Booklet includes goal tracking templates, an easy-to-use food guide to help them pack their lunch, and a daily log sheet that they can print to make their own success journal.
I wish you and your little ones the best on your journey!
