Many parents wonder the importance of focusing on building a child’s self-esteem. Some parents are not focusing on this as much as they should and realizing the effects of it. A child’s self esteem begins to be formed at young age and continues as they grow into adulthood. It grows with the individual experiences children have consisting of social interactions with the use of positive words. Self-esteem becomes an important component to development making sure they have the ability to handle their life and handle it well.
Throughout a child’s life at different stages self-esteem is developed. Beginning as a baby parents show love for them. Thus, teaching them they are loved by showing affection, and caring as they cry. As developing into toddlers they begin to learn things about themselves. They are able to now see and learn what they look like, small things that they can do and so on. Being able to see them for the first time and begin to understand how their parents see them as lovable all aids in the development of self-esteem.
As children approach preschool, self-esteem begins to develop physically. Children start to compare themselves to other children based on their looks and other physical aspects. Then as they enter primary school children’s hormones begin to present obstacles. Self-esteem begins to be affected by their ability to learn in school, athleticism in comparison to other children, looks, and ability to make friends.
Throughout teenage years the struggle with self-esteem becomes the most affected. Many things will affect a child’s self-esteem such as the physical hormone changes that are occurring through puberty, how they look becomes a prominent challenge by comparing themselves to others presents self-esteem issues.
As a parent it becomes very difficult to raise children with great self-esteem because sometimes no matter how well you raise them peer pressures and social interactions will have a direct effect on it. Simples things such as telling how much you love them and glad that they are the person they are to encourage friendships can help build self-esteem. While things as easy as ignoring them and comparing them to other children and even siblings can drastically hurt their self-esteem.
Links:
https://www.decd.sa.gov.au/parenting-and-child-care/parenting
http://www.niu.edu/ccc/resources/Selfesteem.pdf
