Having confidence and strong self-esteem is extremely crucial to the development of children. It goes beyond merely being an outward expression, instead, the presence of self-confidence is known to have positive effects starting internally and filtering on into their day-to-day social interactions.
These may influence their performance at school, at home as well as with their friends. Moreover, children who are confident place a high value on themselves and their abilities.
Understood – a lifestyle information hub – further explains: “They are proud of the things they can do and want to try their best.”
According to children’s wellness hub Kids Health, kids with low self-esteem, in contrast, feel unsure about themselves and find it difficult to join in discussions with others their age.
However, parents play an important part in the process of raising their children to become confident individuals.
Kids Health explains that there are several ways parents can contribute to boosting the self-esteem of their children.
Some of these include being a good role model, helping children learn things that they can be proud of, and ultimately, praising them for their efforts and banning harsh criticism.
“Being criticised by a parent can be emotionally challenging, especially if it is done in a harsh or demeaning manner,” explains mental wellness expert Psychology Today.
The publication further adds that critical comments are known to erode a child’s self-esteem and sense of worth, causing feelings of sadness, anger, or frustration.
The best way to build and nurture their development is by offering daily words of affirmation.
Here is how you can teach positive affirmations to your child as recommended by parenting hub School House.
Affirm them to yourself
While many of us often dwell on negative thoughts and experiences, the above-mentioned source explains that it is important to reinforce these thoughts with positivity. The best way to do this is by affirming it with positive statements like, “You are amazing” or “I love you.” It is also important to focus on complimenting their strengths.
Explore “what ifs?” at storytime
School House recommends getting an adventure book where the character goes through challenges. Then, allow your child to come up with ways of how the story could change depending on the character’s attitude to challenges. This will help them in the future, explains the above-mentioned source.
