Children’s self-esteem is linked to their relationships with caregivers and other adults. Encouragement, praise, and boundaries can help foster healthy self-esteem, while allowing children to experience failure can build coping skills. Good performance can boost self-esteem, and independence should be balanced with the need for support.
The development of self-esteem in children is said to be related to the quality of their relationships with their caregivers and other important adults. It is believed that adults can help foster the healthy development of self-esteem by showing respect for children’s needs, feelings and thoughts. Children who are encouraged to learn new skills and explore their boundaries as they grow are considered more likely to develop a healthy sense of self-worth. Most experts believe, however, that adults should set appropriate boundaries for children’s behavior, not only for their safety but also to strengthen their relationships with caregivers. It is believed that allowing children to experience disappointment and failure can help them gain valuable coping skills that can help protect self-esteem for life, while encouraging children to master the activities they enjoy can foster individuality. and trust.
Psychologists generally believe that encouragement, praise, and loving acceptance can aid in the development of self-esteem in young children. It is considered important, however, to praise children only when the quality of their performance deserves it. Children who succeed in their endeavors, especially when those endeavors are meaningful to them, are generally more likely to enjoy healthy levels of self-esteem. When kids fail, experts advise, adults should resist the temptation to cushion the blow. Early experiences of failure are believed to help children learn to bounce back from disappointment without sustaining permanent damage to their self-esteem.
Most children of all ages want to be independent, but are also often aware that they rely on parents and caregivers for material and emotional support. As a result, many children will alternately express a sense of independence, followed by a clear need for attention from an adult caregiver. Experts typically suggest communicating to children that these alternating patterns of behavior are normal and that the child remains loved and accepted even when they don’t display good behavior and a sense of independence. Limits on behavior and discipline are important for healthy childhood development, but children are generally expected to feel respected and loved by the adults in their lives, even when they are being punished.
While many parents may fear that inappropriately developing self-esteem in their children could lead to poor performance in school, sports, and other areas, most experts believe that good performance leads to good self-esteem. Experimenting with different activities can help children and adolescents gain a sense of their strengths and weaknesses. Good performance can help children and adolescents develop a sense of their own competence.
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