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Stephanie Fitzgerald and Lahcen Bouya

What better gift can we give to children than the skills and support to develop their self-confidence and self-esteem, reducing anxiety and stress, enabling them to live happy and fulfilled lives?

Stephanie O’Malley BA(Psych); MA(EdPsych), is passionate about giving every child at least one mentor in their lives who they can emotionally connect with, which is particularly important in early childhood to prevent mental illnesses later on in life.

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What better gift can we give to children than the skills and support to develop their self-confidence and self-esteem, reducing anxiety and stress, enabling them to live happy and fulfilled lives?

Stephanie O’Malley BA(Psych); MA(EdPsych), is passionate about giving every child at least one mentor in their lives who they can emotionally connect with, which is particularly important in early childhood to prevent mental illnesses later on in life.

As busy parents, teachers, and carers in an overwhelming, technology-filled world, Stephanie’s goal is to equip the key people in children’s lives with the tools, training, and support needed to reconnect with children and to help them understand themselves and their feelings, how to cope with hard situations, and the ability to ask for help when needed.

“The way everything was explained was fantastic, and knowing how small things can have a really big impact on a child’s self-esteem and self-confidence really has been life-changing for our family.”  Marion Lyons, mother of 3, Co. Kerry, Ireland.

This transformative online course empowers you as a parent, carer or educator to develop the skills to build the confidence and self-esteem of children while supporting them to reduce anxiety and manage stress levels.

  • Designed and facilitated by educational psychologist and Founder of DESTY, Stephanie O’Malley, you will learn a range of simple yet powerful strategies that will empower you to understand and support your child so they can reach their full potential in life.

  • During this course you will also learn how to build your own confidence and self-esteem so you can be a powerful role model for the children and young people in your life.

  • We've also included some very practical downloadable worksheets that can be used with children of any age.

  • Feel that you're too busy? Don't worry, we understand. That's why all of our courses are designed for busy people. Learn in your own time and at your own pace.

Enroll now

What's inside

Learning objectives

  • A clear understanding of what self-confidence is
  • How building self-confidence can reduce anxiety and build resilience
  • The difference between self-confidence and self-esteem
  • How to develop self-esteem
  • How self-confidence improves social skills and develops empathy
  • 7 barriers to developing self-confidence
  • 8 practical and powerful strategies for building self-confidence

Syllabus

The Difference Between Self-Confidence and Self-Esteem
Introduction
Children with High Self-Esteem
What is Self-Confidence part 1
Read more

Reflecting on your Experience:

In this section I want you to get a pen and paper and write down your experience in response to each of the 5 questions.  You should answer them based on your own experience. This will help you to support your child to complete the worksheet when it comes to sitting down with them in the next exercise aimed at empowering children to build their self-confidence:

1. What was the task, challenge or goal?

2. How did you feel in the beginning?

3. Who helped you?

4. What did you do?

5. How did you feel at the end?

Traffic lights

Read about what's good
what should give you pause
and possible dealbreakers
Offers strategies to help children understand their feelings and cope with difficult situations, which is valuable for parents and educators
Includes downloadable worksheets that can be used with children of any age, providing practical tools for immediate application
Explores the difference between self-confidence and self-esteem, providing a foundational understanding for effective support
Facilitated by an educational psychologist, which lends credibility and expertise to the course content
Examines barriers to developing self-confidence, which helps learners identify and address potential obstacles in a child's development
Teaches learners how to build their own confidence and self-esteem, which allows them to become powerful role models for children

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Reviews summary

Practical strategies for boosting child confidence

According to learners, this course on developing children's self-esteem and self-confidence provides immensely practical strategies and actionable advice that students can apply immediately. Many highlight the clear explanations and expertise of instructor Stephanie O’Malley, finding her guidance insightful and relatable. The included helpful worksheets are often mentioned as valuable tools for both the adult and the child. Students report a transformative impact, stating the course gave them a solid foundation and changed how they interact with children to build confidence effectively. It's seen as a valuable, easy-to-follow resource for parents, carers, and educators alike.
Provides a good starting point.
"It's a great starting point to understand these concepts."
"The course provides a solid foundation on the topic."
"It gives you a good overview and key principles."
"A valuable first step in learning about child confidence."
Changed perspective and interactions.
"This course has been life-changing for our family, really."
"It really changed how I think about self-esteem and confidence building."
"I feel more empowered and equipped to support the children in my life."
"The course helped me understand the big impact small things can have."
Provides useful, practical tools.
"The downloadable worksheets are really helpful and a great resource."
"I appreciated the practical tools like the worksheets for working with my child."
"The worksheets are a great way to engage with the concepts presented."
"Excellent worksheets that add value and facilitate practical application."
Stephanie is clear, insightful, and engaging.
"Stephanie explained everything so clearly and with great insight."
"The instructor is knowledgeable, passionate, and easy to follow."
"Stephanie's expertise and delivery make complex ideas simple."
"Really enjoyed Stephanie O’Malley's teaching style and passion for the subject."
Offers actionable tools for immediate use.
"The course gives practical strategies that can be implemented straight away. Highly recommend!"
"I learned actionable ways to help boost my child's confidence and my own."
"The strategies provided are very useful and easy to understand and apply."
"Provides really good, usable ideas to help children build confidence."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Developing Children's Self-Esteem & Self-Confidence with these activities:
Review Child Psychology Basics
Prepare for the course by reviewing fundamental concepts in child psychology.
Browse courses on Child Psychology
Show steps
  • Review notes from previous psychology courses.
  • Read articles on child development stages.
  • Take a short quiz on child psychology basics.
Read 'Raising Good Kids'
Expand your understanding of child development by reading a book on raising children with strong character.
Show steps
  • Obtain a copy of 'Raising Good Kids'.
  • Read the chapters on empathy and responsibility.
  • Reflect on how these concepts relate to self-esteem.
  • Identify practical strategies to implement with children.
Review 'The Self-Esteem Workbook for Kids'
Reinforce course concepts by reviewing a workbook designed to build self-esteem in children.
Show steps
  • Obtain a copy of the workbook.
  • Read the introduction and understand the book's structure.
  • Select a few exercises relevant to the course topics.
  • Reflect on how to apply these exercises with children.
Four other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all seven activities
Role-Playing Scenarios
Improve practical skills by practicing role-playing scenarios that build children's self-confidence.
Show steps
  • Identify common scenarios where children lack confidence.
  • Develop scripts that model supportive responses.
  • Practice the scenarios with a partner or in a group.
  • Reflect on the effectiveness of different approaches.
Create a 'Confidence-Boosting' Guide
Solidify understanding by creating a guide for parents and educators on building children's self-confidence.
Show steps
  • Outline key strategies from the course.
  • Add personal anecdotes and examples.
  • Design the guide with visuals and clear language.
  • Share the guide with other parents or educators.
Design a Self-Esteem Workshop
Apply course knowledge by designing a workshop for parents or educators on fostering self-esteem in children.
Show steps
  • Define the target audience and learning objectives.
  • Develop interactive activities and presentations.
  • Create handouts and resources for participants.
  • Pilot the workshop with a small group and gather feedback.
Volunteer at a Youth Organization
Gain practical experience by volunteering at a youth organization and applying course concepts in real-world settings.
Show steps
  • Identify a local youth organization.
  • Contact the organization and inquire about volunteer opportunities.
  • Volunteer for a few hours each week.
  • Reflect on your experiences and how they relate to the course.

Career center

Learners who complete Developing Children's Self-Esteem & Self-Confidence will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:
Parenting Coach
A parenting coach guides parents in raising confident, resilient children, and this course is highly applicable to this career. The course provides strategies for fostering self-esteem and self-confidence, which are core elements of effective parenting. A parenting coach can use the practical techniques taught in the course to help parents create a healthy environment for their children. Understanding barriers to self-confidence, such as unrealistic expectations and lack of opportunities, provides valuable guidance for parents. The course’s emphasis on the impact of parental role modeling is essential for the parenting coach, as it provides a framework for advising parents on how to positively influence their children. This course will help provide specific strategies that the parenting coach can then teach to parents.
School Counselor
A school counselor supports students' social, emotional, and academic development, and this course would directly help. The school counselor assists students in managing stress and anxiety, so the course's emphasis on building self-confidence to reduce anxiety is particularly helpful. Moreover, the course provides strategies for helping children develop self-esteem and resilience, and these skills are useful for any school counselor who wants to provide children with the ability to face challenges with confidence. Learning about barriers to self-confidence will be helpful as the counselor addresses challenges with students. The course will help one provide children with tools to navigate school and life successfully. This course provides school counselors with tools to increase effectiveness.
Elementary School Teacher
An elementary school teacher is responsible for creating a positive and supportive learning environment where children can thrive, and this course will help. The course content on developing self-esteem and self-confidence is directly applicable to the classroom, as it provides strategies to help students manage their emotions, build resilience, and improve their social skills. Learning how to identify barriers to self-confidence, such as unrealistic expectations and lack of opportunities, will make you a more effective elementary school teacher. The course's emphasis on practical strategies for empowering children, alongside downloadable worksheets, offers concrete tools that would be directly usable within a teaching context. This course can help teachers foster a learning environment where all students feel confident and valued.
Early Childhood Educator
An early childhood educator nurtures the development of young children, and this course provides key insights related to this work. The course content on building self-confidence and self-esteem is highly relevant, as it offers strategies for creating a safe and positive environment where children can feel supported. An early childhood educator can apply the course's actionable strategies in their daily interactions with children. The course's focus on understanding the difference between self-confidence and self-esteem provides a theoretical framework for the early childhood educator. Specifically, helping children develop self-esteem will help the educator improve learning outcomes. This course can help an educator improve their effectiveness at supporting children's healthy development.
Camp Counselor
A camp counselor works with children in a recreational setting, and this course's content is helpful to this work. The strategies outlined in the course for building self-confidence and self-esteem are directly applicable to the camp environment. The course's focus on reducing anxiety and improving social skills is useful in a camp setting. The course explains methods for encouraging positive interactions among campers. By learning about these barriers, a camp counselor can create a positive and supportive environment for children. This course is particularly useful for a counselor who wants to foster a positive camp experience.
Child Development Specialist
A child development specialist works to understand and support the emotional, social, and cognitive growth of children, and this course is highly relevant to this work. The course emphasizes the importance of self-confidence, self-esteem, and emotional connection, all of which are core elements of a child development specialist's approach. The strategies and techniques taught in the course can be directly applied to help children manage stress, build resilience, and improve their social skills. Understanding barriers to self-confidence such as lack of clear boundaries and unhelpful company will help the specialist create better conditions for children to thrive. This course may be particularly helpful to professionals who are looking to deepen their understanding of the factors that contribute to a child's overall well-being.
Special Education Teacher
A special education teacher works with students who have a wide range of learning, emotional, and behavioral needs, and this course would be helpful. The course’s focus on building self-confidence and self-esteem is especially important for students with special needs, who are more vulnerable to low self-worth and anxiety. The course provides tools to help the special education teacher empower their students with practical strategies, such as setting clear boundaries and encouraging involvement, to improve their engagement. Furthermore, understanding barriers such as lack of love and acceptance can help the special education teacher create a more supportive and inclusive classroom. Understanding the difference between self-esteem and self-confidence may be particularly helpful for the special education teacher. This course can help a teacher improve learning outcomes for their students.
Children's Librarian
A children’s librarian fosters a love for reading and learning among children, and the skills taught in this course are helpful for this role. The course’s focus on building self-confidence and self-esteem in children can help the librarian create a more inclusive and supportive environment. The course also highlights strategies that can help librarians encourage children to engage with the library and books. By understanding the barriers to developing self-confidence, a children’s librarian will be better equipped to encourage social skills and build empathy. This course will help a librarian who seeks to engage with the community.
Youth Mentor
A youth mentor provides guidance and support to young people, helping them to navigate challenges and achieve their goals, and this course would be useful in this regard. The course’s focus on developing self-confidence and self-esteem is exceptionally important for youth mentors, as these are key factors in a young person's ability to thrive. The course emphasizes building an understanding of how small things can significantly impact a child’s self-esteem, and this can help the youth mentor. Learning about the barriers to self-confidence and the strategies for overcoming them can help the youth mentor to create a positive impact in the lives of young people. This course may be helpful to mentors as they work to improve the lives of youth with whom they work.
Social Worker
A social worker works to improve the well-being of individuals and families; the course can help to address the social worker’s concern for child welfare. The course's focus on building self-confidence and self-esteem in children directly aligns with a social worker's responsibility to support the healthy development of vulnerable youth. The course's content can inform the social worker's interventions and assessments. Strategies for reducing anxiety and building resilience are also particularly relevant to social workers who work with children who have experienced trauma or adversity. The course can help a social worker provide more effective support to children and families in need. This course may be helpful to social workers.
Educational Consultant
An educational consultant advises schools and organizations on best practices in education, and this course is helpful in informing the consultant’s work. The course's focus on building self-esteem and self-confidence is essential to developing well-rounded students. The consultant can use the strategies offered in the course to help design programs and interventions to improve student outcomes. The strategies outlined would help understand how children learn, as well as understand barriers to student success. The course’s practical approach can guide the design of educational settings that foster self-confidence and empathy. This course can help those who want to improve educational programs.
Family Support Specialist
A family support specialist works to strengthen families by providing resources and assistance, and this course can inform this work. The course's focus on fostering self-confidence and self-esteem is directly relevant to creating healthy family dynamics. The course offers strategies that family support specialists can share with families to promote healthy development. The specialist can use the course’s information about barriers to self-confidence to create stronger families. By helping families build their confidence, the family support specialist creates better outcomes for children and their parents. This course may be helpful for specialists who want to provide more impactful family interventions.
Behavioral Therapist
A behavioral therapist works to address and change maladaptive behaviors, and this course may be helpful in this effort. The course’s emphasis on building self-esteem and self-confidence is relevant, as these are key components in a person’s overall mental health. Understanding the barriers to self-confidence can help the behavioral therapist develop comprehensive treatment plans. The course covers strategies that can help a behavioral therapist empower clients to build a more positive self-image. Understanding the relationship between self-esteem and anxiety is particularly useful for therapists addressing these issues. This course may help build a stronger foundation for effective therapeutic interventions.
Curriculum Developer
A curriculum developer creates educational materials and programs, and this course's content on child development and well-being can inform their designs. The course’s emphasis on building self-confidence and self-esteem in children is essential to creating effective and impactful curricula. The curriculum developer can use the strategies and practical insights from the course to improve learning outcomes. The course’s understanding of the barriers to self-confidence can aid in designing programs that are sensitive to environmental factors. The course provides a strong base for a curriculum developer looking to create positive educational experiences. The curriculum developer can use this course as a reference for their development process.
Pediatric Nurse
A pediatric nurse specializes in the care of children from infancy through adolescence, and this course can help the nurse create a comforting and supportive environment within the clinical setting. The nurse’s focus on children's physical health can be complemented by the course’s emphasis on the importance of emotional well-being. Understanding the difference between self-esteem and self-confidence may be especially helpful for a pediatric nurse. The course's strategies, like setting clear boundaries, can also be applied to help children manage anxiety. This course can help pediatric nurses provide more comprehensive care to their young patients.

Reading list

We've selected two books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Developing Children's Self-Esteem & Self-Confidence.
This workbook provides practical exercises and activities designed to help children build self-esteem and confidence. It complements the course by offering hands-on tools that parents and educators can use directly with children. The book covers topics such as identifying strengths, managing negative thoughts, and setting goals, which align with the course's learning objectives. It valuable resource for reinforcing the concepts taught in the course.
Provides a comprehensive guide to raising children with strong character and values. It offers insights into fostering empathy, responsibility, and respect, which are essential components of self-esteem and self-confidence. While not solely focused on self-esteem, the book's broader approach to character development complements the course by providing a holistic perspective on child-rearing. It useful resource for parents seeking to create a supportive and nurturing environment for their children.

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