And perseverance leads to self-esteem.

Helping children learn to stick with a tough challenge will give them the confidence they need to succeed.

Parents can help. Here are some ways to help your child develop perseverance:

• Look for examples of people who are successful because they kept trying. Tiger Woods shot thousands and thousands of putts before he became a golf star. Pilots must spend many hours in smaller planes before they can be in control of a 747. Make sure your child sees not only the finished performance, but also the hard work and discipline that made it possible.
• Help your child recognize courage in his own life. List times when he tackled a challenge. The day he walked into a new school . . . the time he stuck with a tough math project . . . the time he tried out for a play. Children who see themselves as courageous are more likely to be brave the next time they are faced with a challenge.
• Make sure your child understands that nobody is good at everything. Michael Jordan struck out as a baseball player. Yet he was the greatest basketball player ever. Albert Einstein was not a great athlete, but he was a brilliant scientist.

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