Building Self-esteem

In childhood, personality develops in accordance with parent’s nurturing style. There’s a lot of room for a child to develop, and it’s important at an early stage to help your child to establish a good image of him. This is where self-esteem comes in. Developing this in your child requires a long and gradual process.

Self-esteem is in fact related to responsibility. If you have been successful in making your child responsible, if you always compliment her efforts, chances are good that she will gain confidence in herself. She will regard herself as a worthy individual who can easily recover from her mistakes and failures and strive to do better everyday.

The seeds of self-confidence, self-esteem, and independence are planted when you allow your child to do things on her own, when you let her reach her potential. Of course, children often make mistakes. But if you give your child room to make decisions and choices, if you let her accomplish the goals she has set, then she will learn to regard mistakes as a normal part of life. And she will find a way to improve herself.

You can help your child develop self-esteem by pointing out and appreciating her strengths instead of her weaknesses. If your toddler can recite the alphabet but has not learned to count from one to ten, compliment her for knowing her ABC. Don’t criticize her inability to count; instead, find a way to make her interested in numbers. IF she’s having difficulty with a particular task, lend a hand and don’t force her to do the task perfectly. If you want your child to believe in herself, you have to believe in her first.