How can parents help promote healthy self-esteem?

Our children are exposed on many occasions to people and situations that affect love for themselves. As parents What can we do? Let's see some suggestions:

Pay attention to how you correct

Highlight the effort even if it is minimal, this motivates them to try harder and harder; instead of seeing what they don't do. Choose them verbally and physically with kisses or hugs, especially pay attention to the process rather than the result, for example if you put on a slightly crooked stocking, let's not say you put on The average is wrong, but, very well, you've managed to put on the average.

Be a positive role model

If you are excessively hard on yourself or with your partner, pessimistic or unrealistic about your abilities and limitations, your child will end up being your reflection. Take care of your own self-esteem and your child will have a good role model. Highlight your qualities aloud and to the right extent; The child will also learn to do it.

Set clear boundaries

Establish clear, logical and consistent rules and limits. For example if you leave all the toys on the floor, do not pick them up yourself, instead encourage them to pick them up, if you resist, the consequence is that you will not have these toys for a while, or if you present for example a paddle in at the end, do not buy what he wants.

Provide quality attention and time

Set aside time to dedicate to your children. This will help reinforce the feeling that it is valuable and important to you. It doesn't have to be a long time, but if you are in a hurry for example, let them know and remember when you will pay attention, for example, you can say: “when I finish washing the dishes I sit with you and read the story”.

Don't forget to look in the eyes and have your body language pay attention. The child should feel that you consider his needs and that you are interested in his affairs.

Identify and correct your child's wrong beliefs

It is important that parents identify the irrational beliefs that children have about themselves, whether they have to do with perfection, their attractiveness, ability or other aspects.

Many children between 3 and 5 years old, especially, are easily frustrated as they are trying to do many things for themselves and may come to believe that they are not capable, reinforces their perseverance as much as achievements. Teaching children to establish more precise criteria and be more realistic when evaluated will help them develop a healthier concept of themselves.

Express love and affection spontaneously

Your love is very important to stimulate your child's self-esteem. Kiss him, hug him, praise him, let him know how much you love him and feel proud of him. Be loving with your loved ones, celebrate special dates as he turns years old, all this contributes to your child having greater confidence in himself.

Do not use signs, highlight the behavior and not the child

Comments like "You always misbehave" will cause your child to underestimate him and not clarify what the inappropriate behavior is.

Let him make mistakes

We all make mistakes, children are no exception, However, mistakes are also valuable lessons for you to have confidence in yourself.

When something goes wrong let him see and ask him what he can do so that it does not happen again, this will motivate the appropriate decision making. Analyze your own behavior, many times as parents we are perfectionists and obsessive, when we make a mistake let's accept it, in this way the child will do it too.

Create at home an environment of security, respect and love

Children who do not feel safe or are victims of abuse in their home will suffer from low self-esteem. You must be aware of signs of abuse or abuse; withdrawal, changing routines or friends, frequent crying, aggressive behavior, poor academic performance and other factors that can affect children's self-esteem.

Set with your partner limits of respect and communication at home, let them know your extended family and friends, especially if they frequent your home.

Help him participate in constructive experiences

Activities that favor cooperation rather than competition are especially valuable for promoting self-esteem. It seeks to provide diversity of environments and activities that favor creativity and the exploration of their abilities.

Promote healthy risks

Encourage your child to explore something new, such as trying different foods, making a new friend or riding a bicycle. Although there is always the possibility of failure, without risks there are no opportunities for success.

Teach him to respect life and be compassionate

Children who learn respect for life and others learn to value themselves, stimulates help to grandparents, peers, younger children and models those values.

Search for resources

The stories, puppets, movies etc. They can give the child good lessons about self-esteem.

"To educate a child is not to make him learn something he did not know, but to make him someone who did not exist." John Ruskin (British writer and sociologist).

Source: http://psicopedia.org/

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