We continue with our tips to improve our children's self-esteem, a work that we can do in many points since they are born and that will help them grow with confidence and self-confidence. The key is that children feel respected and loved at all times.
As we have seen in the first part of this series, self-esteem is essential for the development of children, and it is in our hands to provide everything necessary for them to acquire and improve it.
And this, thanks to a wide range of actions, issues that concern us as parents: physical contact, communication, punishment, limits, autonomy ... Let's see how to increase the self-esteem of the little ones.
We must promote their autonomy, in our company. They are not conflicting terms: they will be autonomous if they know that we are with them for what they need. If we encourage them to explore, to play, to experiment, to walk, to learn ... and we do it with them, they will soon know that they are capable of what they set out, with the consequent improvement of self-esteem.
To do this, we will also have to show them the alternatives to a problem and let them make decisions on issues that concern them.
We must also be clear in the values and norms, explained, so that they do not feel disoriented or insecure and have clear points of reference, while respecting their way of doing things as agreed. You have to talk to them to explain their duties or role in housework, because they are also important in it.
If the child operates in a context of well defined limits and firm, perceives that we care. These limits must be fair, reasonable and negotiable: unlimited freedom is not worth it. To achieve this balance it is necessary to listen and attend to our children.
If we have self-esteem, they are generally more likely to have self-esteem. We are the mirror in which they look at each other, we can spread our safety, our love. Of course we will have days that "I do not love anything", and they will notice, but soon exceeds. We are everything to them, especially in the early years, and without realizing they follow our example. The more parents value themselves, the more easily they can convey to their children the importance of loving themselves.
Emotional education, make them understand their emotions and ours, show them, ask forgiveness, teach them to do it, learn together to control anger, recognize mistakes ... It is an education that is not learned in school but at home with everyday life, which establishes strong and solid bonds between family members.
In relation to the previous point, we can talk about teaching them to listen and that they are heard. Communication is essential, and will help them gradually put themselves in the place of the other.
Respect your views and opinions, try to understand them even if they are not shared. Listen to our children without judging them. If the child experiences total acceptance of their thoughts and feelings, they perceive the value that is given to their existence. To accept them is to admit that that son or that daughter is another independent and different person from us, and very valuable.
Respect your belongings and objects even if they apparently lack value.
In short, devoting time to the relationship with our children and maintaining a climate of positive relationships in the family will establish the basis for the development of children with safety, love and self-esteem.
If we follow these tips to improve our children's self-esteem, we will make that they tend to see the positive of life, that they are happy with their own achievements, that they are satisfied with what they have and that they learn to value themselves. And, by the way, it will improve our own self-esteem and happiness.
