A healthy self-esteem in children plays an important role in their development. It leads to confident, independent and responsible adults who are able to function in social situations, deal effectively with positive and negative emotions and reach their full potential. Parents and teachers, more than anyone else, can influence a child's self-image. With the right attitude and actions, you can help build and maintain a positive self-esteem in children.
"Me" Scrapbook
Have your child put together a scrapbook of all of his achievements. You can make copies of any pictures you have of sports games, school assemblies or moments with friends. Encourage him to write notes about what he accomplished in the last few years, what he wishes to accomplish and who he is as a person. As he reflects on the positives of his life, his self-esteem will blossom.
Chores
Set up activities, such as cooking eggs, taking out the trash, mowing the lawn or walking the dog that are easy to accomplish so that children will feel more capable of carrying out harder activities. Keep in mind, however, that while older children may be able to do more activities by themselves, younger children may require adult supervision before they develop the attitude of "I can do this all on my own."
Group Activities
Joining a sports team, club or religious/shared-interest group will help your child "borrow" the self-esteem of the group. That way, if she is unable to accomplish something significant by herself, she may share in the pride of the team. Similarly, family activities like reunions and get-togethers, where children learn the proud qualities of their family background, may foster healthy self-esteem as well.
Charity
Research at the Science News for Kids website says high self-esteem alone may not be so good for children. In fact, studies show that having too much self-esteem can make children unappealing to their peers, especially as children become more concerned about protecting their esteem than building new relationships. Therefore, engage your children in programs where they assist less fortunate individuals with mental disabilities, lower economic situations or other potential handicaps. This will not only build a healthy charitable side to your children, it will show them that they have much to appreciate about their own abilities.
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