Promoting Positive Self-Esteem in Children

5 Ways to Build Confidence as Parents

Did you know that July 25th is National Parents’ Day! It is a time to be honored for all your self-sacrifice; late night cries and hush little baby go to sleep, diaper changing, helping with last minute projects. But the coolest part of parenting is when you are tired and feel like you can’t do one more thing and then you’re showered with love by your child! (My heart just melts)

I absolutely believe my role as a parent is a beautiful blessing full of twists and turns. Being a role model and superhero to my boys is my greatest honor. As a Mommy, one of the greatest values I impart on my sons are showing them the importance of being confident and having high self-esteem.

Building greater confidence and self-esteem takes practice. But, the results are well worth the time and effort. Teaching self-esteem and building confidence will benefit our children in every area of their life.

Try these strategies to help you and your children develop greater confidence and self-esteem:

1. Learn from mistakes and failure. It’s okay to fail. Failing is part of the learning process. This improves decision-making skills, enables one to think through long-term results of their choices, and accept feedback about their mistakes without feeling like a personal failure.

●     Parents are also learning something new with each child. The process is the same - you learn from mistakes and failures.

2. See mistakes and failures as tools for success. Confidence comes from learning to trust our instincts, skills, and abilities. It is gained over time through both success and failure. It requires taking risks and dealing with consequences.

●     The more skilled our children become in making the right choices, the more confident they become.

●     If you regularly use mistakes as a tool for success, when your kids do fail or miscalculate, they learn that it was the thinking or process that was faulty, not the person. The same applies to you as a parent.

3. Never stop learning. Parents are teachers. Your job is to prepare your child to be a successful young adult. It starts day one and never ends. You are not always going to get it right - nobody does.

●     Like your child, you learn as you do things and improve as you learn. Chances are that you’ll feel inadequate at times and make mistakes.

●     Own it. Be open about your mistakes and talk to your child about the lessons learned. They will benefit as much from your candid discussions as anything else you do.

4. Think positive thoughts about yourself. If you struggle with low self-esteem, it’s important that you get help. Seek out a therapist if you need to. Your behavior and how you treat yourself is what your child sees and could emulate.

●     If you stand in front of the mirror making negative comments about your body, berate yourself when you make a mistake, or judge others when they don’t meet your standards, your child could potential do the same.

5. Learn to let it go. Move forward after you discuss lessons learned - yours and your child’s.

●     If you dwell on it or label yourself, your child will do the same. “I made a mistake” can become “I am a mistake” if internalized. Get help if you need it. Perfectionism leads to additional challenges that neither of you need.

Try these techniques daily with your children. As you practice more self-esteem building exercises together, you will begin to see positive change behaviors. Once they become a habit, you and your children are well on the path to creating greater confidence and self-esteem each day.

If you want more on confidence and self-esteem building for children check out this book, teen journal, youth workbook