What is self esteem?
Self-esteem is liking yourself, feeling worthwhile, believing in yourself and knowing what
you do well.
I want you to view self-esteem as a muscle to grow. We all have muscle and at times we muscle
up to see how big and strong they are. That’s
Self-esteem gives children confidence to:
try new things and try again when things don’t go as planned
do things that they might not enjoy or normally be good at
face challenges rather than avoid them.
When you try new things, face challenges and bounce back, you will learn and grow.
Kids with high self-esteem:
feel proud of what they can do
see the good things about themselves
believe in themselves, even when they don't do well at first
feel liked and accepted
accept themselves, even when they make mistakes
Low self-esteem means you don't feel very good about yourself.
Kids with low self-esteem:
don't think they are as good as others
don't feel liked or accepted
think more about the times they fail, than the times they do well
don't notice the good things about themselves
are hard on themselves and give up easily
Which one seems more like you?
Self-Esteem Matters
Here are three things to know about self-esteem:
1. Self-esteem helps you. It gives you the courage to try new things. Or make new friends. With
self-esteem, you believe in yourself. You know that good things can happen when you try.
Self-esteem helps you when things don't go your way. It helps you accept mistakes. If you
miss the soccer goal or lose a library book, you don't get too mad at yourself. You just try
again. You find a way to do better.
2. Low self-esteem can hurt you. It makes kids feel unsure. They don't think they can do things
well. With low self-esteem, kids might not try. They might not go after their goals. They might
be afraid to fail. Low self-esteem makes losing seem worse than it is. It makes mistakes seem
bigger than they are. It makes it hard to get over things that don't go well. Instead of trying
again, kids with low self-esteem might give up.
3. You can build your self-esteem. Self-esteem can start with things parents say when a kid is
very young. A parent might tell a baby, "Look what you can do — you're walking all by
yourself!" Being told good things makes the baby feel proud and feel good. As you get older,
self-esteem can grow. Parents and teachers can let you know they see good things in you.
Friends can help you feel liked. You can build your own self-esteem too. Notice when you try
new things. Notice when you learn to do something. Did you try a new sport? Did you learn to
ride a bike, play a song, or do a math problem? Be happy and proud. You don't have to brag
out loud, but you can give yourself a quiet little high-five. Yay, you!
How to Build Your Self-Esteem
Children can develop pleasant self-esteem by working towards achieving their goals. They have
goals in their mind, and when they accomplish the goals, it shows they have what it takes to face
new challenges.
The success of the achieved goal makes you feel satisfied, and the appraisal they get from their
parents, friends, and adult help them grow their self-esteem over time and make them feel good.
https://youtu.be/M6H0w03GJrQ
Try these steps: Ask question in between
Make a list of the stuff you're good at. Can you draw or sing? Are you a good reader? Are
you good at a sport? Do you tell a good joke? If you're having trouble with your list, ask a
parent or friend to help you with it.
Practice the things you do well. Think of ways you can do some of the things you're good at
every day.
Turn "I can't" into "I can!" Does the little voice in your head tell you "I'm no good at this"
or "I can't do it"? Or "It's too hard for me"? That's you thinking badly about yourself. Decide
to change your mind. Think, "I can give it a try," "I can handle this." Think, "I'll give it my
best." Think, "I'll ask someone to help me do this."
Try your best. You can feel good about yourself when you give something a good try. When
you try hard, your self-esteem will grow.
Spend time with people who love you. Do things you enjoy with your parent or family. It
helps you know you belong. And that builds self-esteem.
Pitch in. Do nice things for parents. Help with meals, clean up, or feed the pet. When you do
kind things, you feel good about yourself. You get to see that what you do means a lot.
Why Is Self Esteem Important In Child Development
1. Self-fulfillment and positive thinking
2. It gives resilient and proud feeling
3. A positive sense of control over activities
4. you can do things independently.
5. Take responsibility for every action
6. You are comfortable and can form good relationships with peers.
7. Have the courage to make their decision even during a challenging situation or pressure
Affirmations for Enhancing Self-Esteem
1. Spend time with people who lift you up
2. Giveback by helping others
3. Celebrate your achievements, no matter the size
4. Do what makes you happy
5. Change what you can – and let go of what you can’t
7. Speak highly to yourself.
8. Get involved in extra-curricula’s
9. Own your uniqueness
10. Create a positive self-dialogue.
