It is something of a challenge to build confidence in neurodiverse kids from backgrounds that require specialist care and attention. As a parent, caregiver or teacher, connecting with children who are autistic, for example, can be the hardest part, and their confidence can suffer as a result. However, there are some powerful methods you can apply to help them emerge a bit more. From helping with task management to encouraging hobbies, here are some examples.
Encourage Personal Independence
Children of all ages and neurodiverse backgrounds begin to spread their wings early on. Like any other child, a structured approach to responsibility can help build confidence and help them feel capable in their own lives. Beginning small with tasks like packing their own lunch bags can be an excellent start. If you need extra support and advice, you can find it on websites such as a Down syndrome parenting blog or blogs and medical sites for neurodiverse parenting advice.
Build Confidence in Neurodiverse Kids with Task Management
Some studies have concluded that up to 80% of children on the autism spectrum have trouble managing everyday tasks that most people do with ease, such as time management. You can help diverse kids build confidence by mastering skills in various ways to make things easier:
- Breaking down larger tasks into smaller, more manageable chunks is a great start.
- Visual helpers like calendars and daily schedules can help them sort their tasks.
- Apps such as Choiceworks, DayCaps and Jamup can help autistic kids manage tasks.
Celebrate Effort and Small Wins
Something that seems simple and easy for other children can be a massive challenge for a neurodiverse child with conditions like ADHD, autism and even epilepsy. Celebrating effort and minor achievements is a great way to build confidence in children anyway, but it can have a major positive impact on neurodiverse kids. But it’s not all about the wins either. Even the first step, persistence and progress they make should be celebrated to nurture personal resilience.
Help Build a Growth Mindset
It’s all too easy for anyone to bury their head in the sand when things get tough, and neurodiverse children can have a hard time when faced with adversity. From an early age, children must be taught that they are always learning and setbacks are just that, setbacks! Failure is not a step backwards, but a learning opportunity to realise how something can not be done. This is essential for driving the idea that we are always learning and improving each time.
Provide Feedback to Build Confidence in Neurodiverse Kids
Around 92% of neurodiverse children struggle at school because of things like missed attendance and understaffing of specialist teachers and classroom assistants. There are established methods that can help, such as neurodiversity and play activities for hands-on learning. However, providing constructive feedback can also play a critical role for kids.
Before giving feedback
- Try to build a positive relationship with the child.
- Choose a familiar, calm and private space.
- Acknowledge the strengths and passions of the child.
During the feedback routine
- Use simple language and be as direct as possible.
- Use “I” and focus on behaviour without judgment statements.
- Visual aids can be a great way to get a point across to a child.
Proactive guidance
- Show the child what they can do by breaking down tasks.
- Ask guiding questions without offering the solution.
- Ask the child what they think about the situation.
Following up after feedback
- Praise the effort the child has made and offer positive reinforcement.
- Encourage motivation with more positivity than critique.
- Allow the child some time to process the situation.
Demonstrate Healthy Coping Mechanisms
There are major challenges you can face when caring for some neurodivergent children, as certain conditions mean they could be emotionally unstable. Lashing out, non-committance, and even disrupting others are common ways for some kids to deal with their issues. Of course, these kinds of behaviours can be very destructive and won’t help with self-esteem or confidence. It is a good idea to demonstrate how they should handle negative emotions calmly.
Create a Safe Space for Talking
One of the reasons why children lash out when dealing with emotions is that they aren’t able to communicate them well, and they don’t really understand them. When a child is acting up, finding a safe space for talking can be just what they need for calming down and understanding their behaviour. It helps to talk to the children about how they feel in a non-judgmental way, and help them to find the words they need to express their feelings for improved communication.
Nurture Confidence in Neurodiverse Kids with Interests
Hobbies are important to some neurodiverse children, especially autistic kids. Around 75% of children on the spectrum have special interests, and this is a defining characteristic of the condition. You can use this to your and their advantage by encouraging their interests.
- Use their fascination with a specific topic as a learning tool to engage them more.
- Find and organise social activities that align with the child’s special interests.
- Explore online communities for neurodiverse kids that focus on shared interests.
Encourage Support-Based Friendships
Most people act like the people around them. You can become a toxic person just by having toxic friends, and kids are the same. Encouraging positive relationships and friendships with other kids is a powerful way to help children build social confidence. Other kids who understand that the child might be different and needs support are a massive win. Of course, this goes for adults too, as unfortunately, not everyone is equipped to deal with neurodivergent kids.
Summary
Encouraging personal independence through small self-care tasks is a powerful early way to build confidence in neurodiverse kids. Even small tasks will provide little confidence boosts that build over time to help them gain self-worth. It also helps to provide constructive and positive feedback in a way they can understand and process in a structured manner. However, forging supportive friendships is also a major factor in helping neurodiverse children grow in life.