Parents, caregivers, and adult role models play a significant role in a child’s self-esteem. Consistent praise for achievements, giving attainable responsibilities, and participating in activities based on a child’s skills or abilities can positively impact self-esteem. However, exposure to negativity and empty praise can have negative effects. Encouraging a child to participate in activities that capitalize on their strengths and provide opportunities for improvement can also help build self-esteem.
Several factors influence self-esteem in childhood, primarily the child’s interaction with his or her parents, caregivers, and other adult role models. A mother’s, father’s, or caregiver’s self-view often plays a role in how a child is taught to see himself. Receiving thoughtful praise for accomplishments can also shape a child’s confidence, as can whether or not a child is given attainable responsibilities. Participating in activities based on a child’s skills or abilities can also aid in the development of self-esteem.
Before a child starts school, his primary role models are his parents or primary caregiver. Parents or caregivers with high self-esteem typically model this on children, who will consciously or unconsciously pick up on these ideas. Those who are constantly exposed to negativity, even if the negativity isn’t directed at them, will often adopt the same pattern of thinking, leading to low self-esteem in childhood. It is also common for parents or caregivers with high self-esteem to be more capable of reliable praise and punishment tactics, which can also affect self-esteem in childhood.
Consistent praise for achievements in raising a child, from parents, caregivers, or other adult role models, plays an important role in the child’s view of himself. Praising a child for behaving as expected or accomplishing something often encourages him to repeat the same actions and instills a sense of self-worth. Empty praise, however, can have the opposite effect. A child who is praised for anything and everything will typically stop believing the words, and empty praise will have little effect on childhood self-esteem or possibly a negative effect.
Giving a child responsibilities based on his abilities is also a factor in developing self-esteem in childhood. Making a child feel like an active member of a family or group, both at home and at school, helps foster a greater sense of self-confidence. Despite this, giving a child responsibilities or tasks that they are unable to complete can impact the development of high self-esteem during childhood.
Every single child has different strengths and weaknesses. A child who is encouraged to participate in activities, alone or in groups, that capitalize on skills and provide him with the opportunity to work on weaknesses in a constructive environment can help build a vision of himself. Children who are given the opportunity to use their unique abilities to help others or improve themselves typically have higher self-esteem than those who are not given the same opportunities or are pushed into activities they dislike or for which they do not have the skills.
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