Confidence & Self-Esteem

How a child comes to believe they are capable, and what quietly chips away at it. These articles cover what to say when a child criticises their own body, the way children explain setbacks to themselves, and why how a child talks about a bad day matters more than the bad day did.

4 articles

An illustration of a child dressed in a black skeleton costume with a white bone pattern and a matching skeleton mask, standing in a cozy, sun-drenched living room. The child, with bare feet, is adjusting the hood of the mask and looking at their reflection in a large, ornate floor mirror to their right. The room features a comfortable armchair with a throw blanket, a bookshelf with Halloween decorations like pumpkins and a bat, and a basket of goodies including a spiderweb and candy. The art style is soft, warm, and illustrative.

Halloween costume

Let Them Pick: Why Kids Should Choose Their Own Halloween Costume

Your kid wants to be "a spider who is also a mailman." Here's why saying yes might be the smartest parenting move of October.

October 1, 2026

A mother comforts her sad young son on a teal sofa while a smiling girl stands beside her red bicycle in a cozy, warm living room with plants, a bookshelf, and soft natural light.

sibling comparisons

Why the Same Comparison Hits Differently Depending on Who It's With

The same comparison hits differently depending on whether it's a sibling or a stranger, and that difference is measurable.

September 17, 2026

"A digital illustration shows a young girl with a patterned blue sweater holding up a paper with a red 'C+' grade. She looks with a joyful and expectant expression at an older woman, presumably her mother, who is sitting on a teal sofa and smiling warmly back at her. The mother has dark, wavy hair and wears a terracotta-colored sweater. They are in a cozy living room with a wooden bookshelf filled with books and plants to the left, and two framed botanical art prints on the wall behind them. A stack of books rests on a wooden side table to the right."

learned optimism

5 Signs Your Kid Handled That Bad Grade Better Than They Think

The exact words your kid uses after a bad grade might matter more than the grade itself.

September 11, 2026

An illustration in a warm, muted vector art style depicting a child and an adult in a cozy bedroom. On the left, a young girl with curly brown hair, wearing a green tunic and dark leggings, stands in front of a large floor-length mirror, looking at her reflection with a thoughtful, hesitant expression. On the right, a woman with dark wavy hair tied back, wearing a brown cardigan and jeans, is kneeling on a patterned rug next to a bed with a pile of clothes on it, gently pointing toward clothing spread out on the floor while looking empathetically toward the girl. The color palette features soft creams, charcoal, teal, and warm browns, creating a soft, tender, and domestic atmosphere.

What to Say When Your Kid Looks in the Mirror and Says "I'm Fat"

She looked in the mirror before the first day of school and said "I'm fat." Here's the response that helps, and the well-meaning one that doesn't.

September 1, 2026