Children have very delicate self-esteems. How they feel about themselves will mold what type of person they will become, how they view themselves and how they view others. It is very important that children have a healthy sense of self-esteem to grow into balanced individual. Take the time to learn how to build self-esteem in your child, then, use activities and positive reinforcement to achieve self-esteem building.
Children's self-esteem can be effected in many ways. But, the most important aspect is how that children believes others think of them, especially parents and authority figures.. It is quite possible to build a child's self-esteem with positive words, goal setting and responsibilities.- Make positive affirmations toward your child. Say things like, 'I know you can do this,' or 'You have what it takes.' Speaking positively will build self-esteem and encourage them to tackle more tasks.
- Become a positive role model. Be a goal setter and a goal achiever, then, share your successes with your child. But, when things go wrong, admit it and show your child how to turn things around.
- Help your child set achievable goals. Praise ALL of their accomplishments, no matter how small. Reward bigger ones with a token of appreciation: dinner out, that CD they have been eyeballing, or a trip to the movies. Don't over-reward, but, acknowledging their successes gives their self-esteem a nice boost.
- Allow your child to make decisions, like the color of their room. Give them a sense of importance and let their voice matter, but, do so in an appropriate matter.
- Show affection and love toward your child with hugs, a wink, a big smile or a nod. Make their day bright by leaving note cards, with positive messages, where they can find them, letting them know that you are behind them. This really comes in handy on the day of a big test.
- Be open to conversation and helping them resolve problems. We all make mistakes, children should feel that their mistakes aren't the end of the world and a source of embarrassment for you. Let them know that failing a task is just an opportunity to learn how to do it better.
- Building self-esteem in a child can, also, be achieved by giving them more responsibilities and encouraging constructive behavior. Give them extra tasks appropriate for their age, then, praise them for being such a helpful hand. Teach them about charity by placing a box in their room and ask them to place toys in it to donate to less fortunate children.
These simple tips for building self-esteem in your child, can have a positive effect on the both of you. By building children up, you are fostering trust and a closer relationship that should transcend into their adulthood. You both will have confidence in your child's decision making abilities and the child will have a sense of pride; knowing that he has earned your trust.
