By raising your child to develop good self-esteem, you are enabling them to become adults who are resilient, emotionally healthy, and self-sufficient. However, this is not as simple as telling your child that they have worth; you must provide consistent support towards this goal. Here are some ways you can do that:
Provide unconditional love
Make sure your child knows that you love them, regardless of what they do. Unconditional love gives your child the freedom to be who they are, without worrying about losing your acceptance. When they behave in a way that is unacceptable, criticize the behavior, not the child.
Establish boundaries
You may think your child hates when you make rules but, in reality, when you establish clear boundaries, your child feels more secure because they know exactly what is expected of them.
Let them make mistakes
Do not try to protect your child from their own mistakes. By allowing your child to misstep, you teach that it is okay to make mistakes and they have the opportunity to accept themselves, even when they are not perfect.
Don’t compare them with others
It may seem obvious that telling your child they are not as good as another child would be detrimental to their self-esteem, but it is also harmful to tell your child that they are “the best” at something because it puts enormous pressure on them to meet an impossible standard. It is better to compliment your child on the effort they put into an activity and leave other people out of it.
At Ms. Taylor’s House, we care about the healthy self-worth of your child. If you need more guidance on this topic, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
