Building Your Child’s Self-Esteem part 2
Let your child make some decisions. Children are in a situation
where everyone else is constantly telling them what to do, when
to do it, where to go, and more. When children are allowed to
make some choices, even if it’s something small, they learn to be
self-reliant.
You don’t want your children growing up feeling
dependent on others for direction. Simple choices such as what to
wear (you can offer two or three choices) or choosing a special
lunch item will foster your child’s being able to think
independently.
Encourage your children to try new things. While there’s nothing
wrong with encouraging your child’s talents–this will help build
self-confidence as well–it’s also important that your children
learn to experiment. Trying new things helps everyone overcome
fears of the unknown and helps us learn to deal with success and
failure.
If a child never learns to try new things, this can
create problems later in life. After all, most people do not live
in world where everything is the same day after day. Life is
constantly changing, whether it’s a move to a new city or
starting a new career. If children are experienced at trying new
things, even if small, life’s bigger transitions will be much
easier–such as leaving for college and starting a career.
These are, of course, only a few things you can do to help
develop your child’s self-confidence. The important thing to
remember is that it is an ongoing process. The little things do
add up, even if they seem unimportant. This can be helpful to
keep in mind, particularly when something as important as
developing your child’s self esteem feels like a monumental task.
It doesn’t have to be! Taking time to recognize your child for
the wonderful person he or she is, combined with a few techniques
and consistency will go a long way toward raising a healthy,
confident adult.
