It may bring back memories of your parents or teachers pestering you to sit or stand up straight. Now a new study suggests encouraging your kids to have good posture is an important piece of parenting advice.
Researchers at Ohio State University found that college students who were sitting up straight while filling out a job survey were more confident in what they wrote. On the other hand, those who were slumped over their desks were less confident about their qualifications.
"Most of us were taught that sitting up straight gives a good impression to other people. But it turns out that our posture can also affect how we think about ourselves. If you sit up straight, you end up convincing yourself by the posture you’re in," said the study’s co-author Richard Perry.
Building your child’s confidence and self-esteem is an on-going process for dads. As parents, we know that believing in yourself is half the battle when it comes to everything from making friends to trying out for a new sports team or mastering a skill.
According to KidsHealth.org, fathers should offer their children encouragement and praise when they try something new or set and reach a goal for themselves. Beware of overly praising your kids, though. Experts say too much praise can create an "I can do no wrong" attitude.
Encouraging persistence is important as well. Make sure your child understands the importance of not giving up when the going gets tough.
Most importantly, experts say setting a positive example is paramount for raising a confident child. 
If you want to encourage good posture in your kids, but can’t watch how they are sitting all the time, try my award-winning PostureMinder software – it will help them (and you!) improve your posture at a computer, helping protect them from back pain and other musculoskeletal disorders, as well as improving their confidence according to this article.
There’s growing evidence that with kids using computers from earlier ages than ever before, we’re storing up a back pain timebomb. A 2008 survey in the UK found 45% of 11-18 year olds had suffered back pain in the last year. An identical survey in 2002 found 29% – that’s a 55% increase in 6 years. What’s changed in that period – social networking has meant that children’s computer use has increased enormously.
Take the 30 day free trial of PostureMinder – just Google us!
Dr Phil Worthington