Your Child’s Self-Esteem Is In Your Hands

There is no denying that parenting is a huge responsibility. Your child entirely depends on you, and everything you do affects them in some way — good or bad! You are responsible for instilling values and virtues in your kids and building their personalities. With so much negativity in the world today, it’s easy for kids to lose confidence in themselves and develop self-esteem issues, which is a vital characteristic that your child needs to have. But don’t worry, with the right kind of parenting practices, you can help them boost their self-esteem. Here are nine ways you can help build your child’s self-esteem:

In This Article

1. Allow Them To Make Mistakes

Allow Them To Make Mistakes
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As parents, you might want to help your kid in every possible way. So, you might end up coddling them to a point where you prevent them from making any mistakes. That sounds like a good thing, right? Well, it’s not! Protecting your child from making mistakes can be counterintuitive to their self-confidence. Allow them to make mistakes, take risks, and solve problems — it’ll help them learn more about themselves and build up their self-esteem.

2. Let Them Make Their Own Choices

Let Them Make Their Own Choices
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You might be an expert when it comes to fashion, food, or even music, but when you impose those things on your child, you are indirectly preventing them from choosing for themselves. If your child wishes to wear a hat with a cocktail dress, let them. Allow them to experiment and make their own choices. They will learn to make independent decisions without doubting themselves.

3. Avoid Over-Praising Your Kids

Avoid Over-Praising Your Kids
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Self-confidence comes from feeling loved. Parents often shower their kids with appreciation, love, and care, which is a great thing. However, when you begin to praise your kid for every little thing they do (or should do), it can start to become a problem. Your kids will expect that kind of appreciation from everyone, even when they do basic tasks. It can take a toll on their self-esteem when the world refuses to praise them for the bare minimum.

4. Allow Your Child To Take Healthy Risks

Allow Your Child To Take Healthy Risks
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Sure, as a parent, it’s only natural that you want your kids to succeed at everything they do. But that does not mean that you should spoon-feed them. It’s important to allow your kids to take healthy risks. For example, if your kid is trying to pour some water into a glass, but it looks like they might spill it, don’t swoop in and do it for them. Allow them to take control and do it, even if that means they might mess up.

5. Let Them Help Around The House

Let Them Help Around The House
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Apart from teaching your kids responsibility, assigning tasks around the house for your children to do makes them feel valued. During festivals, you can ask your kids to help you decorate the house and lend a hand in the kitchen. It gives them a sense of importance when contributing to something substantial around them. Let them do chores like setting the table, making their bed, gardening, and taking care of pets.

6. Make Setbacks A Learning Experience

Make Setbacks A Learning Experience
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No one likes to fail, but many people don’t realize that the lessons learned during failure are far more valuable than those learned during victory. It teaches you how to bounce back and not give up. When your kids fail, struggle, or are facing some hardships, teach them that it’ll pass. Let them know that it’s okay to fail and it’s not the end of the world. Understanding that failure is a part of life from an early age can help keep their self-esteem intact.

7. Love Them Unconditionally

Love Them Unconditionally
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If kids feel like you only love them when they accomplish something, they might start attaching their self-worth to their achievements. It’s harmful and can lead to several self-esteem issues in the future. Knowing that they are loved, no matter what gives them a sense of security and belonging. So, don’t be afraid to tell them that you love them every day, so they understand that self-worth and success do not go hand in hand.

8. Help Them Set Realistic Goals

Help Them Set Realistic Goals
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It’s easy to tell your child to aim for the stars, but if they feel pressured to overachieve and end up failing, they might suffer from poor self-confidence. Yes, your kids must be ambitious and aim high, but these ambitions must also be realistic and achievable.

9. Encourage Your Child To Pursue Their Interests

Encourage Your Child To Pursue Their Interests
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When you find out that your kid is genuinely interested in something, encourage them wholeheartedly. A little bit of encouragement and motivation goes a long way to making your child’s dreams come true. It will also help boost their confidence when they accomplish something they are passionate about.

Self-esteem is an essential aspect of a child’s personality. Who your child grows up to be has a lot to do with how you raised them. Therefore, help them be the best version of themselves and instill confidence in them the best way you can. How many of these behavioral tactics have you tried with your kids? Let us know in the comments below!

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