How to improve a child’s self esteem? This is a difficult question as many parents have different expectation of their kids. However, universally, we know that, kids will develop their self esteem in their early years. According to Molly McElroy from the Institute of Learning & Brain Science at Washington University, children develop their self esteem as early as age 5.
As parents, we are the most influential people in our children’s life. How we speak, say, and do has a large impact on a child’s self esteem. How we behave overall as parents has a deep connection to how the child’s thinking process develops. Let’s take a look at what we think are three critical ways to improve your child’s self esteem.
1. Improving Your Child’s Self Esteem – It’s Starts With The Parents
Given the most critical role a parent plays in a child’s life, it’s starts with you. You as a parent are the source of their self esteem development. This is a huge task at hand that most parents are not aware of given the chaos of everything parenting. You have to step back and realize that your behaviour has the largest impact on their self esteem development. It’s not your kids, it’s you. We see thousands of articles on how to improve your child’s self esteem but most forget this crucial link.
To be able to improve your child’s self esteem, you’ll need to improve your behaviour towards your child.
Whether you believe that you’re doing well, there’s always room for improvement. We all get short sometime with our kids because they’re not eating, listening or we’re running late. Think about your reaction and how that affects your kids’ self esteem.
2. Love and Compassion Builds Self Esteem
Children who feel loved and accepted have a higher self esteem. The reason is simple: they love themselves and are comfortable being themselves. When you regularly hug, kiss and encourage your kids they will feel loved and good about who they are as a person. Equally important, do not compare your child. Comparison is the mother of insecurities. Every child wants to be loved and accepted. Comparing your child gives them the feeling of not being good enough. So take note and substitute comparison with love and compassion.
3. Strength Builds Character Not Flaws
Focus on the child’s strengths and not their flaws. As easy as it may seem, we’re all guilty of sometime embarrassing our kids. Encourage them to use their talents without feeling embarrassed. Let them try things out, fail and get up again. If your child has any weaknesses, figure them out and work on it. Let them know that something we fail and that’s OK as long as we try again and do our best.
We as adults are not good at everything, so why should our kids be perfect at everything.
Bonus Points on How To Improve Your Child’s Self Esteem
Teaching New Skills And How That Builds Your Child’s Self Esteem
Teaching your kids new skills will have an impact on developing their self esteem better. This empowers them with a new way of doing something new. There are a lot of opportunities here. Think of various activities that you even like to do yourself as an adult.
For example, teach your kids about gardening. We’ve done that with both of our boys and now they know all the plants and vegetables that we’re growing. Not only that, but we also made sure that they know the planting process from buying the plants, to planting and to nurturing them. Picking fresh tomatoes from the garden along with raspberries and strawberries has been a rewarding experience for them and overall for us as a family,
If you don’t have a garden, teach your kids about doing the dishes, doing crafts, building with Lego, etc. Every time we do a home DIY projects, they’re curious. Given them the ability to learn about tools, what each tool is used for and how to thing work. The opportunities here are endless and it can only boosts their self esteem once you teach them new skills.
Help Them Solve a Problem by Themselves
There’s never a bigger sense of accomplishment when kids solve a problem by themselves. Being a new puzzle or a maze, let them try it for themselves a few times. If they can’t do it, help in incremental steps so that they make the major decisions in the process.
Listening, Show Respect and Extra Curricular Activities
Listen to you child. Ask them about their day at school, what they enjoyed doing and how they are feeling. If they know that they can share their emotions with you, they will feel supported and loved.
Showing respected has a huge impact on a child’s self esteem. Understanding that the child is his or her own autonomous being makes a difference. Encourage your kids to be independent. From letting them make clothing or food decisions, your child will learn to develop their own likes and dislikes.
These are some tips that we believe will help you as a parent on how to improve your child’s self esteem. Although there are many more ideas and suggestions, these serve as building blocks for a solid foundation for self development. Focusing on self love, compassion, empowerment, strength, listening, respect and more, will give you a chance to help your child’s self esteem.
Ultimately, when your child believes in their ability to overcome mistakes and accomplish tasks on their own, they will feel empowered to take on challenges at school and in life overall.
What are some of your suggestions on how to improve your child’s self esteem? What works and what doesn’t? We’ll love to hear your thoughts.
