Why is self esteem so very important? Why is it even more important as parents to help your child build a healthy self esteem? These are questions that we need to answer ourselves.

Self esteem is a set of thoughts, feelings and opinions we have formed about ourselves. In simple terms, it is how you value your own self as a person. A person’s worth plays a significant role in your day to day activities. While low self esteem breeds powerless individuals and the opposite can also be true. And as a parent it is extremely important that you build your child’s self esteem in such a manner that the child becomes a healthy individual who would make a positive impact in the society.

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1. Know Your Child

This is the first step towards building healthy self esteem. While every parent knows their child, it is good to pause and retrospect. The hustle and bustle of today’s life can so subtly blur your focus away. The behavior and needs of children evolve as they grow. Hence it is vital to stop by and find out if your actions and behaviors and response are positively impacting your child or not.

2. Use Positive Reinforcement

Most often most children respond positively to positive conditioning. Negative talk and thoughtless actions can lower the self esteem of your child. Try using positive reinforcement as much as possible. This does not deny the fact of discipline. However, rewarding them for right responses can be very encouraging for children.

3. Use Practical Situations

In modern times, most children have it all. Parents do expose them to the harsh realities of life. Bringing children up in a cocoon will only make them vulnerable to pressures of life.  On the other hand, parents expect children to be perfect. This can be very stressful for the child.  Be balanced in your discipline, when your child makes a mistake use that to teach him.

4. Be A Real-Life Example

Children learn more from observing others, especially their parents or those taking care of them on a daily basis. Don’t come down harshly on them for imitating a particular behavioral pattern, use it instead, to make them understand the pros and cons of such behavior.

5. Build Confidence

When a child receives the right amount of appreciation and discipline, he or she will grow up to be a balanced individual. Help them to understand that their self worth is not under someone else’s control. Knowing oneself worth enables a person to withstand the pressures of life. The same holds good for children.

6. Offer Unconditional Love

A child should know that she or she is loved. He or she should be able to openly communicate his or her problem to you. It is important for parents to be attentive listeners. Listening attentively to your child will enable you to answer wisely.

7. Appreciate

Give the child the right amount of appreciation. Encouraging a child will boost a child’s morale and self worth to a great extent.

8. Set Limits

Human beings thrive well within boundaries. A life without any restriction results in catastrophe. Limits and boundaries are meant for our good. In simple terms, it means disciplining them. While yelling and screaming may not bring about desired changes, calmness and well thought disciplinary methods can reap rich benefits.

A child with a positive and healthy self esteem will be able to face the world better. When a child grows up knowing that she or he is loved and has a positive self worth, the child excels in everything that he or she does. Children with self worth display the ability to handle conflict and challenges of life in a far better manner than those with low self esteem. They also grow up to be people who value and respect other people and hence are ones that with get along with others.

In short, bringing up children with a healthy self esteem means building up happy individuals which in turn builds up a happy society. And it is one of the best ways to contribute to the society.