Setting Your Child up for Success by Building a Strong Self-Esteem

Liking yourself and the person you are is what is known as self-esteem. For young children though, before they can see themselves as individuals, they see themselves through your eyes so it is important to help them learn to have a good sense of self and develop a strong self-esteem.

Showing your children love and that they are lovable is crucial from the start, but as they develop, you should keep in mind to broaden this understanding.

Here are ways you can build your child’s self-esteem so they grow into positive and happy little people:

– Tell your child you think he’s special and loved, and let him know he’s doing a good job.
– For younger children, allow them the chance to make small decisions, like whether to have an apple or banana for a snack. It gives them a sense of control which builds confidence.
– Help steer them in the right direction when interacting with others. Encourage sharing and praise a job well-done.
– When they begin comparing themselves with others, they want to be the best so give a more balanced response. A classmate might be great at math so to combat that dejected feeling, say something like, “Adrianna is great at math but you are a better writer.”
– Give your child the chance to feel pride in themselves and show them that they might not be the best at everything but they will be excellent and important in other areas too.
– Hug your children when they come home from school. They’ll feel like they were missed and thought of while they were in class.
– Ask your child about school when they get home and take an interest in their homework. Be sure to offer help if it’s needed. Don’t do his homework for him. Explain anything that needs clarifying and allow him to do it himself. Check it over too and when all is right, pile on the praise.
– Get your child involved in activities that he enjoys. If he loves sports, have him join a team. If he loves art or music, get him involved in those things too.
– And most importantly of all, teach your child about being a good winner as well as a good loser. We can’t win everything in life. We won’t get offered every job we apply for. We won’t get everything we want all the time and it’s important your child learns how to cope with this in a healthy and positive way. For example, it’s ok for your daughter to be disappointed she didn’t get the lead in the school play, but it’s not ok to bash whoever did and march down to the school and demand the drama teacher change the cast of characters.

Remember to always be actively involved in your child’s life. By making the time, even when you’re extremely busy, you send your child the message that he is important to you and he will feel strong and confident.

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