Raise Socially Confident Kids with These 3 Body Language Tips

We all want to raise confident kids—and while that confidence ultimately comes from within, a few simple tricks can help radiate it out into the world.

In a now-viral video, popular body language expert and mom of two Vanessa Van Edwards shared the three simple social skills she teaches her kids to ensure they lead with confidence and make a great first impression.

Her first skill is all about posture. “The moment you walk into a room, I want you to pretend like you’re wearing a cape,” Van Edwards explains in the video. “Don’t hunch your shoulders up, push them down, hold your head up and pretend there’s a cape flying behind you. That space is gonna make you look like a superhero.”

Next up: the handshake. “Whenever you meet someone, you wanna offer your hand, thumb pointed towards the sky, give them a little handshake and squeeze their hand like you’re squeezing a baseball,” she explained. “That handshake creates a little spark of connection.”

Finally, Van Edwards encourages parents to coach kids on confident eye contact. “After the handshake, you’re gonna make eye contact, but specifically, I want you to hunt for their eye color,” she said. “‘Can you see what color their eyes are?’ When you make eye contact with them, it’s like building a link between you and them. She adds that this approach helps children feel more comfortable connecting with adults, especially when adults are much taller than they are.

Looking for more ways to foster confidence in your little one? Check out these expert-backed tips for building confidence and what to avoid.