Thursday, September 19, 2013

How to Build Your Child’s Self-Esteem



By Pamela O'Connor

Children need encouragement and positive feedback, but they need strictness as well. Raising children is of course never easy, but parents need to mold their children into well behaved and humble people. Parents and teachers mainly feel that a lot of affirmation and care will bring about good self-esteem and make their children better. Unfortunately, this can backfire and change them into selfish, spoiled children that feel entitled to things they shouldn't. This mainly breeds narcissism in our children and students. Studies have been done since the 1970’s and recent results are showing that narcissism is climbing; parents are doting over their children now more than ever and doing almost everything for them.
What was found is a better way to boost self-esteem and keep your child or student feeling the right amount consistently. This is strengthened when adults are responsive by being encouraging and supportive and understanding. It also helps when adults are demanding by setting standards for the child to meet and making them accountable for them. Having this genuine self-esteem stems from accomplishments rather than just affirmation, and by achieving goals children will feel better about themselves and continue to do well.
 If adults are constantly doing tasks for them, it can send the message of saying “I must do this, you are unable”. This will discourage the child from being able to do things on their own and eventually lower their self-esteem. Children need loving and caring adults to nurture and guide them, but they also need people to pull the best out of them so they can grow into happy healthy people. 

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