How to Help Your Child Gain More Self Esteem

Times are such that children, especially those who aren't particularly athletic or graced with unspeakable beauty are pushed into the background socially. These children oftentimes find themselves left out of playground games and teams in physical education classes but left literally in the corner when groups are chosen in classroom situations.

The idea of your child or any child suffering low self esteem and self image are heartbreaking but there are a few things you can do for your child, from the simplicity of home to public events and even on vacation that will help boost your child's self esteem and give them "bragging rights" for instances that they may well be the only child to experience. Care should be taken to make sure that said "bragging rights" do not get out of hand, but it has been my experience that children who suffer low self esteem and self-image rarely take these opportunities to shine too far. In fact, most use them in subtle ways that show the others in their peer group exactly what they have accomplished thus helping their self image and communication skills at the same time.

At home, raising self-esteem can be as simple as assigning a child a task and making sure through one way or another that they shine in said task. Here is where you can encourage the others in the family unit to help with the self-esteem raising. Be careful not to lay it on too thick. Though these children are low in self-esteem, they may not be low in intelligence and thus will have a pretty darn good idea when they are being snowed. Tasks cannot be actually named here as with each child and their level of self-esteem and ages, the tasks will change and will be entirely different in their focus. Look around your home and family life and you'll no doubt come up with many simple tasks that you do mindlessly each day but which done by a child with low self image, could prove the ego boost they desperately need.

A way to boost self-esteem in public is to encourage and teach your child some simple caring behaviors. Teach and encourage your child to open doors, retrieve items (with your supervision of course) and even give up their places in line to those who are elderly, with children or simply seem to need a helping hand. A simple action of opening the door for ladies has in my experience boosted more egos than winning first prize in the science fair. A simple thank you from a stranger can oftentimes be the ego raiser that a child needs.

On vacation there are many ways to bring your child to the forefront. If you keep your eyes open for opportunities they will literally fall into your lap. Below are a couple of self esteeming boosters that presented themselves during our last vacation and which I will share here. None of them were planned, yet we fell into the situation and made the best of the opportunities presented to us. I suspect that similar instances will appear for you as well if you are aware and open to the possibilities.

Place your child curbside at a parade such as DISNEY WORLD. When we were lucky enough to snag a curbside place near the front of the parade we never dreamed my son would be encouraged to fall in behind the end of the parade and finish with them. And if that wasn't enough to boost his ego, a marcher at the end of the of the parade offered to let him help her hold the ending baton and told him "now, YOU are an official participant in a Walt Disneyworld parade. His face glowed brighter than the baton and that simple act by a stranger (I was close behind watching of course) made his trip a memorable one.

Another instance at DISNEY WORLD was the night we decided to stay until the park closed with the boys. Though this is far from an unusual event for many people, it is one that few 9 year olds get to experience and the fact that we were told we were 'closing down' a certain ride that my son loved, was the topper on the cake for him. Though it was late and the park was still full of people, when he discovered he was the last rider on a ride at that time, he felt special and the bragging rights were set.

Another instance that was totally unplanned and is one in which you must be "at the right place at the right time" was when we were issued special "FAST PASSES" badges upon entering the park. This allowed us to bypass any lines in the park that day on most rides and the simple act of walking past those waiting in line made my son feel special and important even if for a small amount of time. If you are lucky enough to obtain these passes, you will see for yourself how a simple badge can make a child feel like the most special person on the planet if only for a short time.

When going to shows at amusement parks, sit near the front and middle of the audience if at all possible. When this happened my son and his friend were asked to help teach the audience the "hand jive" which was later used in the show. The delight on their faces, and the fact that those two had the undivided attention of hundreds of audience members at that time, was priceless and will be an experience they will not soon forget. A simple act bestowed on them by a compassionate park worker made all the difference in the world to those two children and is a highlight they still talk about, and I suspect will when they are old and parents as well.

There are many opportunities out there for your child's self esteem to grow and you don't have to go to a world known amusement park to experience them. From entering coloring contests and seeing their work displayed with others their ages, to being in a parade, to having their picture taken with a "star" even a simple cartoon kind, the opportunities for self esteem growth are many and varied and can be easily found within any area in which you live. Why even the simple act of volunteering at an animal shelter or helping hold the door for someone with packages can make a positive mark on a child's ego. Let your imagination run free and keep your eyes open for opportunities. They are there and sometimes the simplest ones are the ones that make the most impact upon a child's life. A few minutes can make a lifetime of difference, as this teacher and mom can well attest, so be prepared and be open to the possibilities as they show themselves. I promise, you won't be sorry you did.