Building Self-Esteem in Children: Encouragement and Positive Reinforcement
Building your child’s self-esteem is not about inflating their ego or handing out empty praise like confetti. It is about helping them believe: “I can handle this.” Confidence grows from feeling capable, not from hearing “You are amazing!” 74 times a day. So, how do you foster self-esteem the right way? 🧠Understand the Self-Esteem Equation Self-esteem = Competence + Connection + Encouragement. Children thrive when they: Feel capable (competence), Feel accepted and loved (connection), Get nudged forward, not just praised (encouragement). 💬 Praise the Process, Not Just the Outcome Instead of “You’re so smart,” try “You worked really hard on that puzzle!” This is called process praise . It focuses on effort, strategy, and resilience—things a child can control. Example: Rather than “Good job on your drawing,” go for: 🎨 “I noticed how carefully you blended those colors—you really took your time!” That builds the muscle of self-assessment , which is way stronger tha...