Sometimes children go through bouts of low self-esteem, resulting in them
not making the most out of time spent at school or opportunities they
are presented with. Here at Tutor Doctor we know how important it is to
nurture and build up your child’s confidence, which is why we’ve
come up with 4 ways to help build up your child’s self esteem. Having
confidence in themselves will mean that your child can try new things,
learn more, ask questions and most importantly thrive in life.
Pay attention
It’s important to dedicate time where you can give your child your
undivided attention. It will do great things for their feelings of self
worth by making them feel important, loved and valued. Remember to always
make eye contact with your child so that they recognise that you’re
giving them your full attention and listening to exactly what they’re
saying. Even if it is for only a few minutes a day, it really will make
all the difference.
Support healthy risks
Encourage your child to take healthy risks, such as making a new friend,
trying out a new activity or doing something that scares them a little.
Even though there’s always the possibility of failure, without taking
a risk there is also little opportunity for success. By conquering something
they are scared of or tackling something new will be especially helpful
in building up self-esteem levels.
Redirect inaccurate beliefs
If your child is being particularly negative and wallowing in self-doubt,
it’s important to redirect inaccurate beliefs and remind them of
their strengths. For example, if your child says to you; “I can’t
do this maths homework, I’m really bad at it” say to them,
“You’re a really good student, remember that amazing grade
you got in English last week? Let’s work together and see if we
can figure this homework out.” Reminding your child that everyone
has their own strengths and weaknesses is a key way to help build up their
self-esteem levels.
However, if you’re concerned that something deeper may be bothering
your child, ask them more detailed questions about school, friends, and
how they view themselves. You might decide it’s best to talk to
a counsellor or mental health specialist.
Provide encouragement
Every child needs ongoing support that lets them know: “I believe
in you. I know you’re doing your best- keep going!” Believe
us when we say lots of encouragement will do wonders for building up your
child’s self-esteem and will help them grow into a confident individual.
It’s also vital to remember that encouragement is a lot more beneficial
than praise. This is because encouragement acknowledges the effort your
child has put in, rather than praise which only recognises effort after
they have done something ‘right’. Praise can sometimes make
a child feel as though they are only good enough if they have done something
perfectly, and too much can create pressure to perform and set up a continual
need for approval from others. The most important message to send your
child is that effort and seeing something through to the end is what really counts.
