31 Little Ways
to Boost Your Child ’s Self -Esteem by Liz Arrington
think most parents are aware of the tremendous responsibility that we carry when it comes to shaping and supporting a healthy sense of self esteem in our children. With all of the ups and downs of life, a positive sense of self is one of the greatest protective factors for resilience and happiness in children. We know that unconditional consistent love and affection build trust and security, and fill our children with feelings of positive self worth. However, as busy parents deep in the day- to-day interactions of life, sometimes we
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could use some fresh ideas for how to fill our children’s self-esteem bucket. So, in honor of a new year and new beginnings, here’s a list of 31 Different Ways to Boost Your child’s self esteem and make them feel really great. Boosting your child’s self-esteem also helps YOU: it strengthens your relationships, helps you feel better about yourself and your child, identifies values and priorities for yourself and your family, and protects you from the hardships of an uncertain world.
1. Let your child overhear you complimenting them to other people.
6. Tell them the story of how you named them- why is their name special?
2. Thank your child for something they do to help out, or for just being themself.
7. Sing and dance together on a regular basis.
3. Spend one-on-one time with your child for a designated and uninterrupted amount of time.
8. Allow your child to make ageappropriate choices as often as you can.
4. Ask for their help with a task you usually do alone.
9. Ask them to talk to you about their interests- and actually listen.
5. Trust them to do things they never thought they could.
10. Focus on strengths- but avoid OVER praising.
14 January | February 2022
11. Cook a meal together. 12. Learn a new skill together. 13. Start a family positive affirmation or gratitude jar. 14. Emphasize effort instead of outcomes. 15. Spontaneously give extra cuddles and smiles. 16. Tell each other your favorite jokes and laugh together. 17. Ask your child to teach you to do something they are good at.
