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As your child grows, helping her to develop a healthy sense of self is one of the hallmarks of good parenting. Children of all ages blossom in loving environments, but there are special ways that you can encourage your child to grow, depending on her age.
At Kidspace Child Enrichment Center, we do our very best to stimulate and encourage children based on their developmental needs. The following are age-appropriate self-esteem boosters that we use at our center every day. If you are looking for ways to relate to your child and grow her self-worth, consider the following:
Avoid Excessive Praise
Children develop self-esteem by becoming competent at things they try, which takes an investment of effort and dedication. By over-praising your child, you’re showing him that he does not need to push himself and can settle for less effort. In addition, if your child thinks he is perfect and builds an identity around this concept, his self-esteem may topple when someone beats him at a game or shows more artistic promise. Instead, be sure to praise your child when he takes a risk, even if he fails, and encourage him to keep trying.
Avoiding over-praise does not mean shortchanging your child on affection, however. Hugs and encouragement let him know you’re always there for her and that your love is not contingent upon performance, making risk-taking safer.
Encourage Them to Pursue Their Interests
An excellent way to build your child’s self-esteem is to encourage him to get involved in tasks he is interested in and follow through on these. Whether the task is shooting hoops or painting a picture, the goal is to stick with what he starts and achieve a sense of accomplishment when completed.
Independent Decision Making
Allowing your child to make his own choices in age-appropriate settings helps him feel more powerful and begin to understand the consequences of his actions. Young children thrive on making choices, including whether to wear mittens in the winter based on how cold it was outside, or what bowl and utensils they need for a particular meal. By having control over their bodies and choices, children become more self-reliant and thus, confident.
Helping with Chores
Another simple way to enhance your child’s self-esteem is to allow her to help you set the table, make the bed, and even cook. Starting at toddler age and working through grade school, practicing household helpfulness enables your child to build self-confidence through giving value. Making this association early on can help your child grow into someone who prioritizes assisting others and values his own efforts.
Building your child’s self-confidence is one of the most important tasks you can undertake as a parent. By allowing your child to take appropriate risks, pursue his own interests, make his own decisions, and help with household chores, you are enabling him to build self-esteem that will last a lifetime.