Self esteem is the collection of beliefs or feelings that we have about ourselves, or our “self – perceptions”. How we define ourselves influences our motivations, attitudes and behaviors and affect emotional adjustment.
Healthy self esteem is a child’s armor against the challenges of the world. Kids who feel good about themselves have an easier time handling conflicts and resisting negative pressures.
Here are some tips that parents could follow in order to develop their child’s self esteem:
Watch what you say. Because children are very sensitive to parents’ words. Praise your child for every single effort.
Be a positive role model.
Identify and redirect your child’s inaccurate beliefs. Helping your child to set more accurate standards and be more realistic in evaluating himself or herself will help your child to have a more healthy self – concept.
Encourage your child to see the situation in its true light.
Be spontaneous and affectionate with your child.
Give positive and accurate feedback.
Create a safe nurturing environment.
Help your child become involved in constructive experiences.
Help your child to develop problem solving and decision making skills.
Provide choices for your child.
Do not compare siblings.
Highlight your child’s strengths.
Provide opportunities for your children to help. Because they have an inborn talent
If your child has a learning disability, help your child to understand the nature of his/her problem. Many children have fantasies and misconceptions about their learning problems that add to their distress. Having realistic information will help your child in every way.
Teach your children good social and conversational skills by modeling, direct teaching, and guide practice. These skills will enable him or her to have positive interactions with others.
Tell your child about your family stories and talk about his ancestors, heritage and nationality in a positive way.
Many children struggle with feeling isolated, different. Some experiences intense anxiety in school or social situations. An identity of failure and worthlessness may develop if a child doesn’t learn to cope with failure, learn from it and keep on trying.
Most parents are aware that their child’s feelings of self – worth are linked to social and academic success, but they sometimes don’t realize how easy it is to damage their child’s self esteem. Follow these easy tips to ensure that your child has a positive self esteem. |
