What is your best advice on how to raise a confident, happy child?

I know this is a loaded question, but if you have the time and energy, please share your tips on how you helped your child become a confident, happy, intelligent child.What is your best advice on how to raise a confident, happy child?
Don't put the child down when people tell you to, hold the child until it fights to get down, this is how you do it.What is your best advice on how to raise a confident, happy child?
First off never tell your child he/she is bad tell them that was a bad thing to do or better wrong or naughty thing to do. then praise him/her when they do something good. I always liked being taken out to dinner, having a celebration (small) or having a small undercontroll party with my friends if I did something like take the lead in a play or something to show that my parents were proud of me. If I did a good job on my report card we would go out for ice cream or dinner at Friendly's also after a school concert is a good time for a celebration at Friendly's. Talk to your child about not smoking but not so much that they get tired of hearing it and say something like '; Mom Bug off!'; just slip it in now and then and get your point across that it's not healthy for your body or other people, that your friends won't want to be around you if you do smoke and you can go farther in life with out cigarets. Also don't controll your childs life let them make mistakes and test things out on there own they will learn right from wrong just guide them to the high road and allways encourage their dreams and let them make their own dreams don't try and make them for them. Well Got to go but I hope I've helped.
Wonderful question Mandy, I've already told you what I think on the topic, but I just wanted to let you know this is a GREAT question, hope you get some great answers.
praise them. never say cruel things to them. don't be negative. they feed off of whatever energy you let off. tell them you love them often. kiss them. hug them. tell them how wonderful they are and how important they are to you. discipline them. let them know they are doing wrong but with out yelling. talk to them. explain things. don't lie to them. instead of busy toys buy them educational toys. find a teaching tool in everything you do to help them learn things. they do what they see you do not what you say to do. so don't tell them don't lie then lie. don't tell them to wear their seat belt then don't wear yours. don't tell them to be nice then be mean. (i think you get the point) i even use dinner time or eating in public times to help teach them things like colors numbers letters etc. (i.e. if we go to a restaurant that gives you a bread plate when the dinner gets there we talk about which plate is big and which one is small. we count how many plates are on the table we talk about the colors we see around us etc) i never did the baby talk with my kids (the goo goo ga ga stuff) i have always talked to them like adults. they use words (not bad ones) most kids their age wouldn't even know. instead of saying yucky i will use words adults would use (just an example) i use disgusting nasty etc. my son's preschool teacher was amazed when he referred to something being disgusting instead of being yucky or icky. spend plenty of time with them and read to them. make sure they know that they are your priority. that's just some stuff. in a nutshell. hope it helps
I really hink it all comes down to being a positive parent, we have a somewhat overconfident happy bright 4 year old. We do not spank, because she deserves to be talked to, simple to me. When she is learning something new I never say it is wrong even if it is, I tell her she did a good job trying but lets try it again only this way this time (you can see the diferance in the face of a child that is told they are wrong, they are crushed) and we give her responsiblity, she folds her clothes, makes her bed, ';cleans'; her room (i go over it when she is not around) she takes pleasure in oing these things give a child a chance to be responsible %26amp; they actually enjoy it..It makes them feel big %26amp; important. Hope I was of help
Praise, 100% consistency (don't get on to them for something once and then let them get away with it the next time...this confuses them), discipline (not spanking but consequences to their actions), and lots and lots of love and hugs.