Build Everlasting Self-Esteem in Children

Self-esteem is the opinion that one has of oneself and in one’s abilities and worth that needs to be nurtures and protected right from a young age. In this blog post, the top-ranked ICSE Prep school in Patiala shares some essential tips with you.

Give them choices and responsibilities

Children may be small and young and all they, and you, want is for them to be burden-free and enjoy every little moment. But in between all the fun and play, children need to learn and grow up too. They want to feel like they are intelligent enough to be handed responsibilities. They want parents to trust them with little tasks. So start small, give them a choice while picking clothes and shoes. Assign them easy and safe chores, like cleaning and putting their toys in order.

Shower them with sincere praise

Building positive and life-long self-esteem in children is hugely determined by how and how much you praise your children when they do something commendable. The idea is not to drown them in a sea of fake praise and ignore their mistakes, but to give them assurance that they are capable of being wonderful. Don’t go overboard with your praise, using fancy words and tone. You need to be sincere and specific with what you say. Instead of saying you’re the best artist ever, say you’ve made such great progress at drawing birds.

Use failure as an opportunity

Failures are the stepping stones to success. Allow your children to make mistakes, fall down, learn from their errors, and challenge themselves as these are the things that help in shaping their character and developing their personality. Teach them how to use their failure as a learning tool to improve and expand their horizons so that they are better prepared for success. Make sure you support them when they fail at something by keeping their spirits up.

Don’t use harsh criticism and sarcasm

When children do something wrong, it is important to let them know that it is wrong and should not be repeated. Explain to them why it’s wrong without sounding too critical and harsh. Don’t use cruel words and other non-verbal cues of communication that are cruel and can possibly damage your child’s self-worth and make him/her afraid to come out of their shell. Make sure you use a calm, understanding, compassionate and non-judgmental tone with kids.

As one of the best preparatory schools in Patiala, we aim to instill a strong sense of self-esteem in children from a tender age.