As a parent, you want to do everything you can for your child. If they are suffering from low self-esteem, it can harm them in their future. A dismal view of themselves can be a self-fulfilling prophecy. They might also not realize that they’re struggling with self-esteem. It’s here that you need to pay attention to signs. Here are some things you can do to help with your kid’s self-esteem.
Give Them Specific Praise
If your child has low self-esteem, they might not be receptive to praise. It can sound especially hollow, as they are more likely to internalize criticism. You will want to make them feel better, but you shouldn’t offer empty compliments. Instead, you should tell them about specific things that you’ve noticed that they’re doing well. This can help boost their confidence significantly. One way is to talk about things that they’ve been improving in. When commenting on their improvements, avoid comparing them to other people. Instead, your comparisons should illustrate your child’s growth.
Help Them Feel Safe
Low self-esteem often goes with feeling uncomfortable in certain environments, such as school. To get your child to open up and to help them, you should help them find a place they feel comfortable. This could be a favorite restaurant or an outdoor location. Go with them and enjoy a day together. You can drive the conversation towards both of your feelings, which will help them feel better about sharing their feelings and thoughts.
Talk with Them
Your child might feel overwhelmed, ashamed, and alone when it comes to their self-esteem. You know how wonderful they are, but you need to figure out how to show them this. Talk to them on a regular basis. Tell them that they should feel free to share their feelings with you. You don’t want to pressure them. It can be scary to intimate these thoughts to a parent. Take it easy to trust them to share as much as they’re comfortable sharing.
Get Them Professional Help
Trained professionals can help your child deal with low self-esteem. Child therapists and counselors can give your child a secure location to share how they feel. With their nuanced understanding of younger brains, they can help your child reach a breakthrough and build up their self-esteem. For more extreme cases, your child may need a complete change of scenery to get them the help they need, especially if their self-esteem issues are caused by other problems. There are specific programs that are built to help teens deal with their issues while providing them the support they need. This isn’t the solution for everyone, but it may be something to look into.
As a parent, you want to help your child to become the best they can be. Helping them improve understand their worth is one of the best ways that you can prepare them for their adult life. It may be an uphill struggle, but this is a battle worth fighting.
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Helping Your Child Develop a Healthy Sense of Self-Esteem
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