Social, behavioural and emotional development are integral parts of children’s growth — a fact that holistic education systems have long embraced and taken active steps to nurture in their students.
Indian, American, and British curriculum school in Dubai realise that for students to succeed in life on both a personal and professional level, academic excellence alone won’t do.
They have to be confident in their abilities, brave enough to engage with others and take risks in their learning and resilient in the face of setbacks. In other words, they need to have healthy self-esteem.
Why Is Self-Esteem Important for Children?
Self-esteem plays a crucial role in children’s overall wellbeing because it affects their happiness and sense of self-worth.
In a learning environment, positive self-esteem helps students to:
- take ownership of their studies and drive their motivation from within
- learn from mistakes and quickly bounce back from failures
- resist peer pressure and make well-balanced decisions that align with their values
- build relationships with their classmates, teachers and other authority figures
- express themselves freely without fear of judgement and stand up for their beliefs
- seek help whenever they need it
- be proud of who they are and their achievements
In this area, a teacher’s role comes at a very close second to yours as a parent. As a significant influence in your child’s life and the person they spend most of their time with, you hold most of the power to shape how they see themselves and their ability to do things.
How Can You Help Your Child Develop Healthy Self-Esteem?
A child’s self-esteem starts forming very early and continues to grow day by day with each successful interaction through positive actions and words. As such, you can:
1. Foster Independence
As babies, children begin taking small steps towards self-reliance, like learning to hold a spoon, crawl or walk. From there, they move on to bigger things like dressing themselves, spending time alone at home, and helping their younger siblings.
Every one of those milestones surely started with your help and guidance. But if you’re still lending a hand or stepping in frequently to take charge, now would be the time to let go.
Continuing to do things for your child that they can manage on their own robs them of their autonomy. Give them space to grow more confident in their skills and learn that they can count on themselves.
2. Turn Setbacks Into Learning Opportunities
All people make mistakes and experience setbacks throughout their lives. It’s how you deal with them that matters, and that’s what you need to teach your child.
If they fail a test, show empathy, encourage them to reflect on what went wrong and how they can improve next time and help them come up with a game plan moving forward. If they struggle with a particular subject or activity, offer your support and praise their efforts even if the outcome is less than what you or they hoped for.
Doing this will boost your child’s confidence and teach them that a challenging situation doesn’t define them or their abilities; it’s a chance to practise and get better.
3. Lead By Example
Growing up, children mimic their parents’ behaviours and internalise them as the correct way to approach similar situations in their lives.
For example, when they observe you performing everyday tasks like house chores or work duties, putting in your best effort, taking pride in what you do, asserting yourself respectfully when you need to, and not letting hurdles discourage or slow you down, they’ll be more likely to develop that same mindset and attitude towards their own responsibilities and challenges
4. Avoid Being Critical
Taking emotions out of discipline is easier said than done, especially when a child is being difficult or argumentative. When faced with such moments, it’s natural for all parents to feel frustrated and angry. But lashing out or negatively criticising a child’s behaviour should never be the go-to reaction.
The messages children receive from others can greatly influence how they feel about themselves. Deprecating words and criticism can chip away at their self-esteem and instil feelings of inadequacy. Instead, take a moment to hear them out and acknowledge their feelings, but always keep the focus on what you’d like them to do better next time.
5. Support their Passions
As children learn and use new skills, they feel good about themselves. Their self-esteem grows ever stronger when you give them your attention and show love and support for their interests. Here are a few ways you can do that:
- Hang their artwork around the house.
- Ask them about their day and show genuine curiosity about what they did or learned at school.
- Attend their school plays, performances, games or any other event where they’ll display their talents and praise them afterwards.
- Allow them space to create and explore the hobbies that they enjoy.
Sow the Seeds of Confidence
Positive self-esteem lays the groundwork for a happy and fulfilling life at school and beyond. The more support, encouragement and love you can show your child during those early years, the better they’ll become at conquering any challenge and making the most out of the opportunities that come their way.
