8 Keys to Nurturing a Child’s Self-Esteem

It’s every parent’s hope that their children grow up confident in themselves, their abilities, and their beliefs.

Undoubtedly, self-confidence is critical for children, helping them overcome challenges (whether at school, on the soccer field, at home, or in life) with resilience and perseverance. So, here are eight ideas that every mom and dad should appreciate.

Encourage Perseverance

Nurturing a child’s psychological strength is no easy feat. Children need to understand that things don’t always come easily, and success often requires hard work and practice. Perseverance and determination, especially necessary for achieving one’s best, drive us to try again and again. Moreover, perseverance and determination are linked to feelings of pride and accomplishment. So, confidence stems from perseverance. As parents, we should strive to give our children enough space to try to solve challenges independently while supporting and helping them along the way.

Value the Process

While it may be too much to ask children to enjoy hard work, we should expect them not to give up when faced with problems. And, tempting as it may be, parents really shouldn’t jump in and do the work for their children. Such “help” would solve the problem for the child in the moment, but it certainly wouldn’t teach them how to solve problems independently.

Stanford professor Carol Dweck’s work on the growth mindset and the importance of valuing the process, rather than just the outcome, states that a child’s journey and efforts towards the final result are just as important (if not more so) than the result itself. It often takes time for parents to grasp this concept, but even though it’s hard to watch a child make many mistakes, it’s definitely worth not imposing your own ideas on them and leaving room for their own decisions. When the result is achieved, try to emphasize how impressed you were with their efforts to achieve their goal. This will boost the child’s self-confidence and encourage them to not give up, even when it’s tough.

Nurture Dreamers

One of the many joys of being a parent is the opportunity to experience the world through our children’s eyes. Little ones constantly remind us how much curiosity and wonder are innate in children. Parents should help them maintain this desire to explore and dream. We want children to have the curiosity to ask all sorts of questions and use their imagination to solve complex problems. After all, every new brilliant idea started with a “what if.”

Giving your children the freedom to explore and use their imagination can be facilitated by various fun family games. For example, on a long car ride, you can play a game where everyone has to create and name places they would never want to visit.

Explore Different Paths to a Goal

We believe that the practice of exploring one’s creative ideas while trying to solve problems will help children feel comfortable acknowledging that there is often no one set way of doing things. We also believe that this creates a foundation for innovation – trying new things and new approaches. To encourage this, it can be really useful to solve problems as a family together. For example, on a hike, try to find different ways to cross a stream. By building a bridge out of stones and branches, you’ll discover that some stones work well, while others aren’t stable enough to support a person’s weight, etc.

Another way for children to appreciate different perspectives and approaches is to let several children solve the same problem and see the variety of solutions.

Happy kid

Soften the Blow of Failure

Mistakes and failures are part of the growth and self-confidence building process, and they’re not very pleasant. So, how do we encourage children to take risks? How do we get them to stand up after falling and try again?

Self-confidence comes from knowing that even when you don’t know how to do something, you can still do it. It may take a few tries, but you’ll learn and succeed. It’s worth remembering the quote by basketball legend Michael Jordan: “I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”

Sometimes we notice that our children are hesitant to try something new or difficult. It’s worth reminding them that no one is born knowing everything, and that to achieve a goal, you have to overcome difficulties, even if you fail sometimes. Practice and repetition are two of the biggest factors in success.  

Encourage Independence

It’s important for our children to learn that they can master anything and recover from failure on their own. So, self-confidence is also linked to independence. As children grow, parents won’t always be around. Therefore, one of the things we should do is encourage our children to speak up and make their own decisions. Discovering their inner voice can be as simple as letting them order their own food at restaurants.

And again, when asked a question by a bookstore clerk about a child’s favorite book style or what kind of exercise notebook they need for school (even if it sometimes seems like you would answer faster and more clearly for your child), let them answer the questions themselves.

Be a Good Role Model for Your Child

We all know that our children watch us and model our behavior – sometimes too closely! In any case, as parents, we have a responsibility to be a good example, even when it’s not easy or convenient.

I’ll share a personal experience as a lesson, because unfortunately, I sometimes get caught not being the best example. A few years ago, we discovered that everyone in the family could do at least two pull-ups… except me. I joked and said we would never reach 100% participation because of me. My kids were stunned. “You need to try, Mom,” said my then 5-year-old. “If you try and practice, you can do it.” They essentially turned my words, said to them, back on me. So, now I’m on a journey to learn to do more pull-ups because they’re right – I should be able to do it with a little hard work and effort.

Encourage Family Time

Spending time with children and exploring the world together helps strengthen their self-confidence. Although we are often distracted by our daily tasks, we must remember that dedicating time to satisfying their curiosity, playing, and exploring together shows our children that they are worth our time and attention. Let’s try to do everything we can, because that time together makes children feel important and strengthens their self-confidence.

The Techi team consciously creates fun, enriching activities that engage children and help them develop creative confidence. We believe that this confidence helps children think broadly and act as creators, not just consumers.

Now you can go to the Techi DIY section and spend time with your child trying out one of the fun and interesting experiments!

8 Keys to Nurturing a Child’s Self-Esteem

It’s every parent’s hope that their children grow up confident in themselves, their abilities, and their beliefs.

Undoubtedly, self-confidence is critical for children, helping them overcome challenges (whether at school, on the soccer field, at home, or in life) with resilience and perseverance. So, here are eight ideas that every mom and dad should appreciate.

Encourage Perseverance

Nurturing a child’s psychological strength is no easy feat. Children need to understand that things don’t always come easily, and success often requires hard work and practice. Perseverance and determination, especially necessary for achieving one’s best, drive us to try again and again. Moreover, perseverance and determination are linked to feelings of pride and accomplishment. So, confidence stems from perseverance. As parents, we should strive to give our children enough space to try to solve challenges independently while supporting and helping them along the way.

Value the Process

While it may be too much to ask children to enjoy hard work, we should expect them not to give up when faced with problems. And, tempting as it may be, parents really shouldn’t jump in and do the work for their children. Such “help” would solve the problem for the child in the moment, but it certainly wouldn’t teach them how to solve problems independently.

Stanford professor Carol Dweck’s work on the growth mindset and the importance of valuing the process, rather than just the outcome, states that a child’s journey and efforts towards the final result are just as important (if not more so) than the result itself. It often takes time for parents to grasp this concept, but even though it’s hard to watch a child make many mistakes, it’s definitely worth not imposing your own ideas on them and leaving room for their own decisions. When the result is achieved, try to emphasize how impressed you were with their efforts to achieve their goal. This will boost the child’s self-confidence and encourage them to not give up, even when it’s tough.

Nurture Dreamers

One of the many joys of being a parent is the opportunity to experience the world through our children’s eyes. Little ones constantly remind us how much curiosity and wonder are innate in children. Parents should help them maintain this desire to explore and dream. We want children to have the curiosity to ask all sorts of questions and use their imagination to solve complex problems. After all, every new brilliant idea started with a “what if.”

Giving your children the freedom to explore and use their imagination can be facilitated by various fun family games. For example, on a long car ride, you can play a game where everyone has to create and name places they would never want to visit.

Explore Different Paths to a Goal

We believe that the practice of exploring one’s creative ideas while trying to solve problems will help children feel comfortable acknowledging that there is often no one set way of doing things. We also believe that this creates a foundation for innovation – trying new things and new approaches. To encourage this, it can be really useful to solve problems as a family together. For example, on a hike, try to find different ways to cross a stream. By building a bridge out of stones and branches, you’ll discover that some stones work well, while others aren’t stable enough to support a person’s weight, etc.

Another way for children to appreciate different perspectives and approaches is to let several children solve the same problem and see the variety of solutions.

Happy kid

Soften the Blow of Failure

Mistakes and failures are part of the growth and self-confidence building process, and they’re not very pleasant. So, how do we encourage children to take risks? How do we get them to stand up after falling and try again?

Self-confidence comes from knowing that even when you don’t know how to do something, you can still do it. It may take a few tries, but you’ll learn and succeed. It’s worth remembering the quote by basketball legend Michael Jordan: “I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”

Sometimes we notice that our children are hesitant to try something new or difficult. It’s worth reminding them that no one is born knowing everything, and that to achieve a goal, you have to overcome difficulties, even if you fail sometimes. Practice and repetition are two of the biggest factors in success.  

Encourage Independence

It’s important for our children to learn that they can master anything and recover from failure on their own. So, self-confidence is also linked to independence. As children grow, parents won’t always be around. Therefore, one of the things we should do is encourage our children to speak up and make their own decisions. Discovering their inner voice can be as simple as letting them order their own food at restaurants.

And again, when asked a question by a bookstore clerk about a child’s favorite book style or what kind of exercise notebook they need for school (even if it sometimes seems like you would answer faster and more clearly for your child), let them answer the questions themselves.

Be a Good Role Model for Your Child

We all know that our children watch us and model our behavior – sometimes too closely! In any case, as parents, we have a responsibility to be a good example, even when it’s not easy or convenient.

I’ll share a personal experience as a lesson, because unfortunately, I sometimes get caught not being the best example. A few years ago, we discovered that everyone in the family could do at least two pull-ups… except me. I joked and said we would never reach 100% participation because of me. My kids were stunned. “You need to try, Mom,” said my then 5-year-old. “If you try and practice, you can do it.” They essentially turned my words, said to them, back on me. So, now I’m on a journey to learn to do more pull-ups because they’re right – I should be able to do it with a little hard work and effort.

Encourage Family Time

Spending time with children and exploring the world together helps strengthen their self-confidence. Although we are often distracted by our daily tasks, we must remember that dedicating time to satisfying their curiosity, playing, and exploring together shows our children that they are worth our time and attention. Let’s try to do everything we can, because that time together makes children feel important and strengthens their self-confidence.

The Techi team consciously creates fun, enriching activities that engage children and help them develop creative confidence. We believe that this confidence helps children think broadly and act as creators, not just consumers.

Now you can go to the Techi DIY section and spend time with your child trying out one of the fun and interesting experiments!

10 creative and affordable ways to celebrate your child’s birthday this summer

A child’s birthday is a special occasion that should be filled with joy and lasting memories for both kids and parents. During the warm summer months, nature offers countless opportunities to create an unforgettable outdoor celebration. Here are ten creative and fun ideas to make your child’s birthday party one to remember:

1. Water party

When the sun is shining bright and the air is warm, water activities are a must for summer fun. Create a real water party with a pool, sprinklers, slides, and water balloons. Include various games like water gun fights or water balloon tosses. Kids will love splashing around and playing various water games, while parents can relax and enjoy the festive atmosphere.

Water party

2. Picnic party

If you’re looking for a calmer and more nature-inspired party idea, a picnic in the park or garden is a great choice. Prepare picnic blankets, snacks, fruits, and refreshing drinks. Kids can play outdoor games like ball toss, frisbee, or badminton. You can also organize a few tasks or relays to keep everyone busy and happy. Such a party will give children plenty of freedom to run, play, and enjoy the fresh air.

Picninc party

3. Outdoor movie theater

An evening under the open sky, with a starry sky and a magical movie world, is an unforgettable experience. Prepare an outdoor screen and projector, and choose a movie that the kids will enjoy. Don’t forget the snacks – popcorn, fruit juices, candy, or healthier options will make the movie night even more enjoyable. Place blankets and pillows to create a cozy atmosphere and make it comfortable for children to sit.

Outdoor movie theater

4. Outdoor games tournament

Sports games always inspire children with energy and enthusiasm. Organize an outdoor games tournament where children can participate in various competitions such as relays, football, basketball, volleyball, or ball tossing at targets. Create a few prizes to encourage children to try hard and participate in the games. Such a tournament will not only be fun but will also promote cooperation and healthy competition.

Outdoor games tournament

5. Garden party

A garden party is a great opportunity to introduce children to gardening and the beauty of nature. Invite children to the garden where they can participate in gardening workshops, such as planting flowers or vegetables. Children can learn how plants grow and how to care for them. Also, include various garden games, such as fruit identification. This will be not only a fun but also an educational experience that will enrich children with new knowledge about nature.

Garden party

6. Creative Workshops

Children love to create and experiment. Organize creative workshops outdoors where children can draw, sculpt, make jewelry, or other crafts. Prepare various colors of paints, clay, beads, and other materials so that children can freely express their creativity. This is a great opportunity for children to not only have fun but also learn new skills and immerse themselves in the world of creativity.

Creative workshop

7. Treasure hunt

A treasure hunt is an adventurous activity that will delight children and encourage their cooperation. Prepare maps and clues leading to hidden prizes. You can create a few tasks or puzzles that need to be solved to find the treasure. This will give children the opportunity to work as a team, complete tasks, and experience a real adventure.

Treasure hunt

8. Photography Hunt

A photography hunt is a great way to encourage children’s observation and creativity. Prepare a list of objects, plants, or animals that children need to find and photograph. These can be various natural objects, such as flowers, trees, or insects. Children can use their phones. The first ones to find and photograph all the objects can receive prizes. Such an activity will not only provide a lot of fun moments but will also teach children to notice details in the environment.

Photography hunt

9. Horse riding

If you want to give children an unforgettable experience, organize a party at the stables. Children can go horseback riding or even participate in horse care lessons. Getting to know horses and caring for them will be not only fun but also an educational experience. It’s also a great opportunity for children to spend time outdoors and interact with animals.

Horse riding

10. Delicious baking workshop

Organize a baking workshop where children can bake and decorate cookies, cakes, or pizzas. Prepare various ingredients and decorations so that the little bakers can create their delicious masterpieces with great enthusiasm and creativity. This will be not only a tasty but also a fun activity where children can learn new culinary skills.

Delicious baking workshop

11. BONUS! – STEAM Constructor Party

Turn your birthday party into a meaningful, fun, and memorable educational journey! Almost every child has a desire to understand the world around them. One way to do this is through STEAM constructors! Such a party will encourage children’s interest in science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics. And for this occasion, we encourage you to choose a Lithuanian product – unique educational constructors Techi. Let your child’s birthday become a real celebration of scientific creativity!

Photo sent by happy 'Techi' customers

A birthday party is a special time when children can feel special and enjoy themselves with friends and family. The most important thing is creativity and attention to children’s hobbies and interests. Such a party will undoubtedly bring a lot of smiles and will remain in children’s memories for a long time.

How to make science interesting for today’s kids?

Today’s children live in an incredibly dynamic and fast-paced world. Growing up surrounded by smartphones and the internet, they experience the world in a completely different way than any previous generation. Accustomed to a rapid, colorful stream of information, children find it more difficult to maintain focus and absorb theoretical knowledge, especially when they don’t see its application in real life. However, some things remain unchanged: children are inherently curious and tireless explorers. It is precisely these qualities that “Techi”, a Lithuanian company producing sustainable educational toys for children, observes and nurtures.

Mindaugas Juškevičius, an alumnus of Kaunas University of Technology and the founder of ‘Techi‘, focuses on the benefits and opportunities that technology offers today’s children.

“Modern children are explorers, questioners, even skeptics,” he observes. “They ask ‘Why do I need this?’, ‘How can I learn this or do it faster/easier/more interestingly?’ Such questions are far from being lazy – they reflect critical thinking, the ability to select information, and the desire to discover new paths. All of this can be encouraged through contextual learning and STEAM education, which allows children to seek answers to their own questions, experiment, and combine knowledge from different disciplines.”

Inspiration from Childhood

The idea of creating educational toys came to Mindaugas from his love of technology, the joy of construction, and the desire to inspire future engineers.

“As a child, I didn’t dream of becoming an astronaut, policeman, or firefighter. I was most interested in following my older brother to the garage, where we would escape reality into the world of construction. I especially enjoyed disassembling and constructing electronic devices. Over the years, my curiosity only grew, and the technology I was building became more complex: a radio receiver was replaced by a television, and then by a moped,” recalls Mindaugas.

His newfound passion for construction dictated his future path – he chose to study engineering and became involved in student organizations.

“We organized engineering competitions for students called ‘JuniorBEC‘. During these competitions, I had the opportunity to interact with students and realized that choosing a profession is not as easy for many as it was for me. There are various reasons for this: feeling pressured, too many choices, not having a favorite activity. It was nice to see how those children lit up with curiosity during the competitions and became interested in technology. After a while, I even met a few of them in the corridors of Kaunas University of Technology,” the KTU alumnus shares with a smile.

“For me, this is one of the greatest joys – when you can inspire children, encourage them to become interested in science, and show them that it is interesting. I want to achieve this as much as possible – that’s why I had the idea to create ‘Techi’.”

Mindaugas Juškevičius, the founder of 'Techi Education'

Learning Should Be Fun!

Mindaugas and his team transform complex concepts like physics laws or formulas into engaging games for children. Their first product is the “Robotic Arm Lio” constructor. This educational toy helps 8-12 year-old children understand the laws of hydraulics and pneumatics in a fun and interesting way and experiment with their operation.

“With the Robotic Arm Lio, we try to make learning as interactive as possible. Before starting to build, children have the opportunity to immerse themselves in an illustrated, voiced story in which they meet Leonardo da Vinci, visit Renaissance Venice, and learn about the first attempts to apply water pressure. Then they get acquainted with the theory presented in a fun tone and apply it by assembling the constructor and playing with it,” says the founder of “Techi”.

he first “Techi” constructor has received a lot of attention from parents and children. “It’s great to see how parents care about their children’s education and do it not only for grades, but also for the development of curiosity and creativity. I believe this raises people who think broadly and are lifelong learners,” says Mindaugas.

Photo sent by happy 'Techi' customers.

STEAM Education, Sustainability, and Lithuanian Products

“Our toys have several distinctive features that we consider to be important values. First, they are based on STEAM education. Through STEAM activities, children learn about science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics. While engaging in STEAM activities, children learn through practical experimentation, thus developing their critical thinking and research skills. We also pay great attention to sustainability. We choose sustainable materials, manufacture toys in Lithuania to avoid unnecessary transportation, and constantly think about how we can be more sustainable. We want to leave a green planet for the young generation for whom we are creating toys,” shares Mindaugas.

Photo sent by happy 'Techi' customers.

Engaging Activity for Both Children and Parents

“We try to find as many ways as possible to make learning with “Techi” toys attractive to children. You can come up with all sorts of games, include a lot of useful educational material, but if the child is not interested, the benefit will be small. I think the most important thing is to find a balance between learning and fun. It’s no secret that children love computer and phone games, they are “hooked”, drawn in. Why not use this in our own activities? So, the educational material and illustrated story are presented to children in an attractive virtual format, turning learning into a playground,” says the founder of “Techi”.

This unique approach to children works – there is a lot of positive feedback from parents, grandparents, and even the children themselves.

“We bought it for a nine-year-old, but even an 11-year-old found it very interesting. The children are amazed! It was quite unusual that something still needed to be sanded, that it takes a lot of time and patience. But that’s an added value,” says Rasa, a customer who left a review about the robotic arm Lio.

Parents also notice another benefit, which is also a goal of “Techi” – family time together. “My son really liked the constructor and I got involved in the construction process myself. It’s definitely a quality way to spend time with your child,” writes Žilvinas, a father of a child.

“We really appreciate the positive feedback and are happy about it, because it shows that we are on the right track. But at the same time, we communicate with our buyers, asking them to share their experiences and asking what could be improved. We get insights that help us generate ideas for both improving existing products and creating new ones. Feedback helps us achieve our goal – to inspire curious and inventive creators of the world. We have specific plans for the near future to achieve this.”

“We will soon be introducing a new constructor – a mini garden with a self-watering system. While constructing it, children will get acquainted with the Egyptian goddess Renenutet and learn even more interesting facts about physics. We will also offer a monthly toy subscription to make STEAM activities even easier,” shares the author of the idea.

Photo sent by happy 'Techi' customers.

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