What is Self-Esteem
Self-esteem is the way a child feels about himself and the way he expects others to feel about him. A child with low self-esteem may be reluctant to take on new challenges and may have trouble interacting with others. Children may also act out more frequently, believing that they are not capable of being "good." There are several effective games you can play with your child to increase his sense of worth.
How You Can Help
Here are some other steps to follow in building your child's self-esteem:
• Remind your child frequently that you love him unconditionally.
• Model a positive self-image.
• Don't criticize yourself or others when he is present.
• Let him participate in activities where he can excel.
• If he is struggling with a task, provide him with the resources to master it.
• Teach him that perfection is not a realistic goal, but improvement is.
• Teach him that failure is inevitable, but he is strong enough to handle it.
• Provide him with lots of new experiences so he gains confidence in his ability to face them.
Self-esteem begins to develop at a very early age. By getting your child off to the best possible start with these confidence boosters and self-esteem activities, you give him a gift that he can carry with him for the rest of his life.
