How to Build Self Esteem in Children

Every parent wants their children to succeed in life and the only way to do that is build their self-esteem.

But what is self-esteem? Simply put this is how an individual sees themselves. It is something we inherit and not born with. Children don't know what that is and this is the reason why parents have to help them find it.

To do that, we have to make our children feel good by expressing them to positive statements. A classic example is to say "good job" for something they did. If you say that frequently, this will be stored in their minds and will surely want to hear more of that in the future.

Since self-esteem is not only about making them feel good about themselves, you will also have to teach them how to express positive statements as well. If they are having difficulty in a task, they should be taught now to give up and say to themselves, " I can do it if I continue trying."

Another way they can learn to do that is to buy audio tapes that talk about positive self statements which are designed to help develop their self-esteem.

Our kids are not perfect. As they grow up, they will make a few mistakes and we have to reprimand them for their actions. Instead of saying something negative like " why did you do such a lousy job?", you can rephrase it in a way that is more appealing to their senses. A good example will be to say " don't you think there is a better way to do it?" Such a statement will make them think and then let them try to do it again.

In order for our kids to know right from wrong, we also have to impart to them decision making. Your child must be taught first to analyze the problem and then think for a bit before making a decision.

The best way to do that is to ask the child certain questions so they can learn how to look at a problem. It will also be helpful if you brainstorm with them for possible solutions especially if they have no idea what to do.

You should only allow your child to use the solution of their choice after becoming fully aware of the consequences. Naturally, the right solution will solve the problem and make the child feel good about themselves.

Part of building your child's self esteem is allowing them to make choices. Let them choose what hobbies or interests they want to pursue and not something you want because instead of doing it for themselves, they are just doing it to make you happy.

Lastly, let your children realize their strengths and weaknesses. If they are good in certain things, let them excel in it. As for things that are not their forte, let them try to improve on it because it is possible that this can change with some time and practice.

Building the self esteem of your child is not easy and this is one of the duties that every parent must fulfill while they are growing up. If you did a good job, they will be successful in life and you can tell them how proud you are of what they have accomplished.