Growth and development: Helping your child build self-esteem

Introduction

Self-esteem is a person's core belief about himself or herself. A person's self-esteem is reflected in his or her actions, both in how as well as what he or she does. Although self-esteem varies from time to time, the pattern usually leans toward a healthy or unhealthy view of self. With healthy self-esteem, a person is more likely to succeed in life.

Although building self-esteem is a lifelong process, the foundation of self-esteem is established in childhood. That foundation can do much to help a child deal with difficult life issues as they are encountered.

Parents have the greatest influence on a child's belief about himself or herself. Letting your child know that he or she belongs, is doing well, and is contributing can help him or her develop healthy self-esteem.

Keep these things in mind as you raise your child.

* Children sense that they belong by the way their parents talk to them and act toward them. Show and tell your child that you love and care for him or her.
* Children learn about how well they are doing by how their parents react to their behavior. Offer praise at least twice as often as you criticize (and try for four times as often).
* Children learn how to work with others by learning how to cooperate within a family. Give your child some age-appropriate household responsibilities.

What helps a child develop healthy self-esteem?
Why should you help your child develop healthy self-esteem?
How you can help your child develop healthy self-esteem
Where to go from here

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What helps a child develop healthy self-esteem?

You can promote your child's development of healthy self-esteem by starting a cycle of belonging, learning, and contributing. A sense of belonging helps a child to participate in learning new things; learning makes a child feel confident in making contributions; making contributions helps secure a feeling of belonging. This cycle helps establish and strengthen a child's self-esteem.

Developing healthy self-esteem is a process that continues throughout life and helps a person act responsibly, cooperate well with others, and have the confidence to try new things.