Many children (and adults) have difficulty making transitions. A seemingly calm child can go into a total meltdown when you tell her she has to stop playing and take a bath. Or it might occur if the schedule changes without warning. Some kids get very cranky everyday day during natural transition times such as getting ready for school and getting out the door in the morning, or during the dinner hour after you come home from school and work.

Whether you have a toddler or a teen, helping your children build confidence is an ongoing process that continues well into adulthood. Here’s my list of confidence builders that can be applied at any age.

Are we creating a population of stimulation junkies? Yes, I think we are. A stimulation junkie is someone who needs to be entertained or stimulated all the time, and when left to entertain herself, becomes uncomfortable. She has withdrawals. 

What parent hasn’t been confronted with a meltdown? We all have. It’s a regular event, and just part of the behavioral terrain if you have kids. The bigger question is how to handle them most effectively. There are some strategies that can help, but before getting to those, it’s a good idea to get a grasp on what’s actually happening during a meltdown.

Praise is one of the most powerful tools we have for increasing a child's positive sense of self. Actually, everyone can benefit from receiving praise if it is served up correctly. It seems simple enough to give praise, but in actuality if praise is not offered correctly, it can actually have the opposite effect of that intended. There are some specific rules for giving praise that will insure that it hits the mark and has the intended effect of reinforcing a child's self esteem.