A healthy self-esteem is one of the most important personal traits a person can have, and this applies not only to adults, but to young children as well.
Self-esteem provides the basis for personal achievement and a poor health esteem can be as damaging to an individual as a good self-esteem is to personal growth and development.
When children feel good about themselves, they are likely to try new things on their own, and when they accomplish this on their own, their self-confidence rises.
But self-esteem can only grow when we, as parents pay attention to the little details, and ensure that our children have a healthy dose of self-esteem to carry them through each day.
According to the School of Psychology, these tips can help you recognize and grow your child's self-esteem to healthy levels:
1. Value your child - encourage your children to be their true selves. Value each child for who they are and see them as whole beings
2. Respect their preferences - allow your child to have his/her own personal preferences and feelings, which may be different from your own
3. Engage them in activities - encourage them to become actively involved in their community, and introduce them to activities that promote a sense of accomplishment
4. Praise good behaviour - teach your child to make positive choices, and praise them for good deeds, behaviour and positive traits they possess
5. Provide inclusive books - provide books that are inclusive, avoid media that stereotype any group of people, and when you see stereotypes or discrimination have an open discussion with them about inclusivity
6. Be a good listener - by listening to our children, we are teaching them they have a voice worth being heard
7. Encourage questions - If your child has questions on differences in characteristics or cultural practices, discuss openly with them
8. Create opportunities for interaction - try to create opportunities for children to interact and make friends with people who are different from them
9. Teach them about culture - teach children about who they are and their family culture and family traditions.