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6 Parenting Tips for Building Self-Esteem in Children

Developing positive self-esteem is vital for children. When kids feel good about themselves, they have increased confidence to try new things. They feel proud of their accomplishments and believe in themselves. And even if they fail, they are more likely to get up and try again. When children view themselves in a positive light, they are more capable of taking on new challenges and learning from their mistakes. 

As a parent, you play an important role in helping your child build his or her self-esteem. Your love and support can help enrich your little one’s confidence and motivate your child to keep pushing. Positive self-esteem makes us less inclined to doubt ourselves. By being a supportive, realistic, and not-too-overprotective parent, your child will grow to feel more confident and capable.

Read on for helpful tips for how to start your child off on the right foot when it comes to developing a positive self-image and building self-esteem.

Recognize your child’s efforts

One way that parents can help their kids build self-confidence and feel good about themselves is by showing appreciation for their actions no matter how small. Make it a point to provide positive feedback and acknowledge your child’s efforts, regardless of the results. 

For example, if your child has participated in a competition at school, even if he or she didn’t win, make sure your youngster knows that his or her effort and hard work didn’t go unnoticed. Give children a pat on the back and encourage them to continue what they’ve started as they work to accomplish bigger things in the future.

Avoid overpraising

While it’s important that our kids’ efforts are recognized, it’s equally important that parents avoid praising their children excessively. Overpraising may actually do more harm than good. If parents constantly tell their kids that they’re doing great even when they’re not, this can actually lower the bar for their expectations. Children in this situation may not push themselves or try hard enough next time. 

Let your child take healthy risks

While we aim to keep our kids safe and protected from harm, it’s equally important that we give them the chance to take healthy risks. The only time kids can truly learn and grow is when they’re given adequate opportunities to explore the world around them. Let your child enjoy the outdoors. Let your little one run around, play, and try out new things. 

Let your child learn from mistakes

Making mistakes is a natural part of growing up. To help children build positive self-esteem, it’s important that they understand that failures and mistakes don’t need to stop them from working towards their goals. We all make mistakes. What’s important is that we learn from them. 

Don’t let errors at school or other shortcomings discourage your child from trying again. Let children know that it’s their effort that counts. Help children worry less about failing. Instead of focusing on the result, focus on what they can do better next time. 

Empower your child to make his or her own choices

When young kids are given the opportunity to make their own choices, they feel empowered. Start giving your child a sense of control and opportunities to make small decisions while they’re young. Even if it’s something as simple as choosing which shirt to wear, the important thing is that kids are given the chance to decide about simple things and learn from the consequences of their decisions. 

Avoid doing everything for your child

As parents, it’s natural that we want to give our kids the best life we can. However, as much as you may want to do things for your little one, try to resist the urge to do everything. Let children navigate life by finding their own footing. Even when it comes to little things, it is best that kids are given the opportunity to work things out on their own.

Self-confidence and self-esteem don’t develop naturally or automatically for most youngsters. Therefore, it’s imperative that parents create a loving environment at home that helps kids feel more confident and capable. Foster an environment that helps your child develop a positive sense of self-worth.

For more parenting tips, or if you’re looking for the best preschool for your little one, please visit Cornerstone Learning Center