Fostering self-esteem for kids

You’re doing everything for your child by making their present life as comfortable and nurturing a possible and maybe even getting a jump start on their future by putting away a little something for their college education a bit at a time. If your children are young, both Mom and Dad watch out for them and do their best to protect their sons and daughters as they start their journey through life.

Self-esteem is an important part of the armor they’ll need to bounce back from life’s pratfalls before and after they’ve left the nest. As adults, we know how fleeting that can be—how you feel good about yourself one minute and then down in the dumps the next. The real trick to fostering your child’s self-esteem is helping them to build a framework for one of life’s most important skills, resiliency.

Sincere Interest

Start by remembering your child is always using you as a filter on how they should react and think about the things that are going on around them and know that sincere interest is just as effective as praise. Showing you are interested in their hobbies and the games they play demonstrates their efforts have some worth in your eyes. Setting aside some time to give your preschooler undivided attention is great for self-esteem building for kids. It doesn’t take much. Putting down your phone to answer a question and making eye contact so they understand you’re really listening works wonders.

Self Esteem Building For Kids and Balance

Keep in mind that a healthy sense of self-esteem is all about balance between your praise and their ability. A child that’s good at accomplishing tasks but doesn’t get much recognition for his efforts can develop low self-esteem later in life, and a girl that has issues with her abilities and gets little encouragement can develop the same problem.

You should inspire your child to take healthy risks so they grow and nurture their own sense of self. While eating something different or even looking for a new pal can fail, these types of adventures teach your child the needs and possible benefits of taking calculated chances in life.

Stay away from comparing one child to another. What parents often don’t realize is the obvious, “Why can’t you be more like your sister?” has an equally harmful companion comment. Telling your daughter or son they are the “best” at anything can set up a high standard in their minds that’s next to impossible to live up to. If you want your children to value themselves as unique individuals, let them know you appreciate them for their own set of singular talents.

Small Setbacks

Don’t look for an arrow pointing steadily in either direction on their self-esteem charts either. Their sense of how they feel about themselves will fluctuate as they get older and experience new things. Understanding the dips can be as simple as recognizing when they see small setbacks as permanent and the normal high points in those times they are eager to try new things and comfortable in social settings.

Read more info like this at All My Children.
Author: Rob Starr