During their early years, young children’s self-esteem is based largely on their perceptions of how the important adults in their lives judge them. You can also help by teaching your child to socialize well with other children and encouraging interaction with children with similar family values.
Children do not acquire self-esteem at once nor do they always feel good about themselves in every situation. As children interact with their peers or learn to function in school or some other place, they may feel accepted and liked one moment and feel different the next.
Young children are unlikely to have their self-esteem strengthened from excessive praise or flattery. On the contrary, it may raise some doubts in children; many children can see through flattery and may even dismiss an adult who heaps on praise as a poor source of support– one who is not very believable.
Children do not acquire self-esteem at once nor do they always feel good about themselves in every situation.
Children with a healthy sense of self-esteem feel that the important adults in their lives care and accept about them. If anything happened to them and would miss them if they were separated, they feel that those adults would be upset. Children with low self-esteem, on the other hand, feel that the important adults and peers in their lives do not care or accept about them very much.
Because it is a self fulfilling prophecy, self-esteem is so important in young children. The more confident children feel about their social, intellectual and physical success then the more likely they will succeed. Conversely, the less confident children feel then the more likely they will fail.
As a parent, you play a primary role in the development of your child’s sense of self worth and that sense of self will play a crucial role in your child’s future success. Showing your child that you value and care for her and helping her learn to value herself can go a long way to building that important sense of self esteem.
Children with a healthy sense of self-esteem feel that the important adults in their lives care and accept about them. Children with low self-esteem, on the other hand, feel that the important adults and peers in their lives do not care or accept about them very much.
You can help your child by being clear about your own values and keeping the lines of communication open about experiences outside the home. You can also help by teaching your child to socialize well with other children and encouraging interaction with children with similar family values.
Most parents want their children to have a healthy sense of self-esteem and many believe that low self-esteem lies at the bottom of many of society’s problems.
Even though self-esteem has been studied for decades, its precise nature and development is still subject to debate. Child development experts generally agree that parents and other adults who are important to children play a major role in laying a solid foundation for a child’s self esteem development.
You can help your child develop and maintain healthy self-esteem by helping him cope with defeat as well as success. In the moment of failure remind your child that you still love and support him. Teaching children to work past the small disappointments and troubles of childhood can help them handle the greater challenges life will throw in their path.
When parents and teachers of young children talk about the need for good self-esteem, they usually mean that children should feel good about themselves. With young children, self-esteem refers to the extent to which they expect to be accepted and valued by the peers and adults who are important to them.
When adults respond to the child’s interests and efforts with appreciation or interest rather than just praise, a child’s sense of self-worth is more likely to deepen. Respond positively by taking their interests seriously with appropriate encouragement, for example, reading a book about dinosaurs or studying worms in the garden.
When children are esteemed by the adults who are important to them, self-esteem is most likely to be fostered. To esteem children, means to treat them respectfully, ask their opinions and views, take their views and opinions seriously, and give them realistic and meaningful feedback.
During their early years, young children’s self-esteem is based largely on their perceptions of how the important adults in their lives judge them. Children come to feel loved and accepted by being loved and accepted by people they look up to.
Young children are more likely to benefit from tasks and activities that offer a real challenge than from those that are merely frivolous or fun. Young children can be given appropriate responsibilities and tasks that make them a part of the community or family.
Self-esteem is also related to children’s feelings of belonging to a group and being able to adequately function in their group. When toddlers become preschoolers, for example, they are expected to control their impulses and adopt the rules of the family and community in which they are growing. Successfully adjusting to these groups helps to strengthen feelings of belonging to them.
