Confident Kids, Confident Choices Script

Welcome and Introduction (5 minutes)

(Slide 1: Confident Kids, Confident Choices)

"Good evening, everyone, and welcome! Thank you so much for taking the time out of your busy schedules to be here tonight. We're here to talk about something incredibly important for our 6th graders: building self-confidence."

"As our children enter middle school, they face so many new experiences, challenges, and changes. Developing strong self-confidence is like giving them a superpower—it helps them navigate friendships, tackle schoolwork, and make smart decisions. Our goal tonight is to equip you, as parents, with practical strategies you can use at home to nurture that confidence."

"Let's get started by thinking about why this topic is so vital right now."

Why Self-Confidence Matters (5 minutes)

(Slide 2: Why Self-Confidence Matters)

"Look at this slide. These are some of the areas where self-confidence plays a huge role for our 6th graders. They are:

• Navigating friendships and social dynamics
• Academic challenges and growth mindset
• Making responsible decisions
• Developing resilience and coping skills
• Exploring identity and independence"

"From your perspective as parents, what have you noticed about your child or their peers regarding self-confidence at this age? What challenges or successes have you seen?"

(Allow a few parents to share. Validate their experiences and connect them to the importance of the strategies to come.)

"It sounds like many of you are seeing similar things, which tells us this is a crucial time to support them. So, let's dive into some concrete strategies."

Strategy 1: Empower Through Choices (5 minutes)

(Slide 3: Strategy 1: Empower Through Choices)

"Our first strategy is 'Empower Through Choices.' It's about giving your child meaningful opportunities to make decisions and, importantly, to experience the natural outcomes of those decisions."

"Think about it: if we always make decisions for them, they don't get to practice being independent thinkers. We can start with small choices, like 'Would you rather wear your blue shirt or your green shirt today?' or 'Which healthy snack would you like to pack for lunch?'"

"As they get older, the choices can become a bit bigger: 'Which elective sounds most interesting to you next semester?' or 'How would you like to arrange your bedroom?' The key here is to offer choices within safe boundaries you're comfortable with."

"How do you currently give your child choices? Are there any small ways you could increase this?"

(Encourage a brief share-out or reflection.)

Strategy 2: Celebrate Effort & Growth (5 minutes)

(Slide 4: Strategy 2: Celebrate Effort & Growth)

"Our second strategy shifts our focus from just the result to the journey: 'Celebrate Effort and Growth.' It's easy to say 'You're so smart!' when our child gets an 'A.' And while it's nice, research shows that praising effort and the process of learning is far more effective for building lasting confidence."

"Instead of 'You're so smart,' try something like: 'I noticed how diligently you studied for that test, and your understanding really grew!' Or, if they try something new and it doesn't quite work out: 'It took a lot of courage to try out for the team, even if you didn't make it this time. I'm proud of your bravery.'"

"This teaches them that their hard work and persistence are valuable, not just the end product. It cultivates a 'growth mindset.'"

"Think about a recent situation with your child. How could you praise their effort or growth rather than just the outcome?"

(Allow for a quick personal reflection or one or two shares.)

Strategy 3: Encourage Problem-Solving (5 minutes)

(Slide 5: Strategy 3: Encourage Problem-Solving)

"Our final strategy is 'Encourage Problem-Solving.' As parents, our natural instinct is often to swoop in and fix things when our children face a challenge. However, by doing so, we sometimes rob them of the opportunity to develop their own problem-solving muscles."

"When your child comes to you with a problem, try asking, 'What do you think you could do?' or 'What are some options you've considered?' You can brainstorm solutions together, but ultimately, try to let them choose the path they want to take. And if it doesn't work perfectly, that's a learning opportunity!"

"This builds their resilience and confidence in their ability to handle life's ups and downs."

"What's a common 'fix-it' situation you encounter, and how might you try to encourage your child to problem-solve instead?"

(Facilitate a short discussion.)

Let's Discuss! (4 minutes)

(Slide 6: Let's Discuss!)

"We've covered three key strategies: Empower Through Choices, Celebrate Effort and Growth, and Encourage Problem-Solving. Now, let's open it up for a broader discussion. Your Discussion Guide: Fostering Confidence has some prompts to help us."

• "Which of these strategies resonates most with you, and why?"
• "How might you apply one of these strategies with your child this week?"
• "What challenges do you foresee when trying these, and how might you overcome them?"

(Refer to the Discussion Guide: Fostering Confidence for more detailed prompts and follow-up questions during this segment. Ensure all parents have a chance to contribute or reflect.)

You Are Your Child's Confidence Coach! (1 minute)

(Slide 7: You Are Your Child's Confidence Coach!)

"To wrap things up, I want to remind you that your consistent support and belief in your child are the most powerful tools you have. These strategies are meant to be practiced consistently, with patience, and by celebrating even the smallest victories."

"Remember to refer to your Confidence Booster Strategies Handout for a quick reference guide on all the strategies we discussed today."

"Thank you again for coming. We appreciate your dedication to supporting your children's growth and confidence!"

Confidence Booster Strategies for Parents

For Parents of 6th Graders

Building self-confidence in your child is a journey, and your role is vital! This handout summarizes the key strategies discussed today to help you empower your child to become a confident, resilient individual.

Strategy 1: Empower Through Choices

What it means: Give your child opportunities to make decisions and experience the outcomes (both good and bad) in a safe environment.

Why it works: It fosters independence, critical thinking, and a sense of control over their lives.

Examples:

• Small Choices: What to wear, what healthy snack to pack for lunch, which chore to do first.
• Bigger Choices: Which elective to take, how to organize their study space, what book to read for pleasure.

My Notes/Ideas for Application:

Strategy 2: Celebrate Effort & Growth

What it means: Focus your praise on your child's hard work, persistence, strategies, and improvements, rather than just their innate abilities or the final outcome.

Why it works: It cultivates a "growth mindset," teaching them that intelligence and ability can be developed through effort. This makes them more resilient in the face of challenges.

Examples of Praise:

• "I noticed how hard you worked on that math problem, even when it was tricky. You really stuck with it!"
• "It took a lot of courage to try out for the play. I admire your bravery!"
• "Look at how much your writing has improved since the beginning of the semester. Your practice is really paying off."

My Notes/Ideas for Application:

Strategy 3: Encourage Problem-Solving

What it means: When your child faces a challenge, resist the urge to immediately solve it for them. Instead, guide them to think through solutions and take ownership of the process.

Why it works: It builds their problem-solving skills, independence, and belief in their own capability to overcome obstacles.

Examples of Questions to Ask:

• "What do you think you could do to solve this?"
• "What are some different ways you might approach this?"
• "Who could you talk to about this?"
• "What did you learn from this situation, and what might you do differently next time?"

My Notes/Ideas for Application:

My Confidence-Boosting Action Plan

Which strategy will you focus on this week? How will you implement it?

Discussion Guide: Fostering Confidence in 6th Graders

This guide provides prompts and follow-up questions to facilitate a rich discussion among parents about building self-confidence in their 6th-grade children. Use these to encourage sharing, reflection, and practical application of the strategies.

Opening Discussion: Why Self-Confidence Matters (After Slide 2)

• "What are some specific situations where you've noticed your 6th grader's self-confidence (or lack thereof) really shine through?"
• "How do you think a strong sense of self-confidence impacts a child's overall well-being and success, both inside and outside of school?"
• "What are your biggest hopes for your child in terms of their confidence as they navigate middle school?"

Discussing Strategy 1: Empower Through Choices (After Slide 3)

• "Can anyone share an example of a time they recently gave their child a choice, and what the outcome was?"
• "What are some small, low-stakes choices you could start offering your child this week to build their decision-making muscles?"
• "What challenges might you face when giving your child more choices, and how can you prepare for them? (e.g., 'What if they make a 'bad' choice?')"

Discussing Strategy 2: Celebrate Effort & Growth (After Slide 4)

• "It can be challenging to praise effort instead of just outcomes, especially when we want our kids to succeed. What are your initial thoughts on this strategy?"
• "Can you think of a specific recent accomplishment or challenge your child faced? How could you rephrase your praise to focus on their effort or growth in that situation?"
• "How do you think focusing on effort might change your child's approach to learning or trying new things?"

Discussing Strategy 3: Encourage Problem-Solving (After Slide 5)

• "As parents, it's natural to want to fix things for our children. When is it most difficult for you to let your child problem-solve independently?"
• "Imagine your child comes to you with a problem (e.g., a disagreement with a friend, a tricky homework assignment). What's the first question you might ask to encourage them to problem-solve?"
• "What's the balance between offering support and allowing them to struggle a bit? How do you know when to step in?"

General Discussion & Closing (After Slide 6)

• "Of the three strategies we discussed today (Empower Through Choices, Celebrate Effort & Growth, Encourage Problem-Solving), which one do you feel most ready to implement immediately, and why?"
• "What's one new insight or idea you're taking away from our discussion tonight?"
• "What additional support or resources related to fostering self-confidence would be helpful for you as parents?"
• "Let's share one quick 'win' or positive observation you've had about your child's confidence recently, no matter how small."