Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Maria Anguiano, shares that self-esteem is the cornerstone of our child's ability to grow into happy and healthy adults.  Helping them believe in themselves that they are capable of doing things, it helps them identify their internal and external strengths, thereby enabling them to overcome challenges.

 

She shares three important parent and caregiver resources to help build their self-esteem. 

 

The first resource is identifying their strengths and qualities.  Together with your child:

• Identify things they're good at

• Compliments they have received 

• What they like about their appearance

• Challenges they have overcome

• How they have helped others

• Things that make them unique

• What they value the most

• Times when they made someone else happy

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Then work with your child to identify their positive traits.

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Maria then shares that it's important to give your child undivided attention and offers ways to do that.  She also states that it is important to set realistic expectations that match your child's age, and at times you'll have to break down difficult or long items into smaller ones they'll understand and can accomplish.

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Lastly, Maria asks that parents and caregivers recognize how their child accomplished the task(s), and that accomplishing them (or not) doesn't define who they are or their worth as an individual.  She reminds them not to compare their accomplishments to others which helps emphasize their importance and not that of others.