**Collaborative post**
Self-esteem and confidence can be developed from infancy and are more important than most of us think. Children with high self-esteem feel loved and understood by their family and friends and they feel confident in their own talents. Those who don’t will probably struggle with new endeavours and feel shy when meeting new people. They will also likely dwell on where they went wrong and find problems with themselves, rather than being proud of their achievements. A girls’ private school in Surrey have prepared the following advice for parents who want to help their children with their self-esteem.
Avoid being overly critical of your child when things don’t go to plan like they break something or get a bad grade. Instead, remind them that humans are always making mistakes or having accidents and that with every mistake made, we become a little bit smarter; we learn what to do and what not to do again in the future. This will help them develop a growth mindset; they will start to believe that their skills and abilities will improve with time, just like everyone else’s, rather than worry about all the things they’ve done wrong.
Ensure your child always has something to work towards and achieve, even if it’s something simple like making their bed every morning for the next week. Once they have achieved the goal, give them the praise they deserve and encourage them to move onto the next challenge. This will give them a well-deserved self-esteem boost, as it will help them to feel competent. Involve them in family decisions and give them choices rather than demands, so that they feel empowered and respected.
Find opportunities for your child to meet new people and experience new things so that they feel less daunted by the idea of doing something different. They will start to become increasingly more comfortable in their own skin if they learn that they can tackle anything that is thrown their way, so be sure to help them believe that about themselves.
