Addressing Low Self-Esteem in Children: Parental Responsibility and Effective Strategies

Many parents get worried when their child stays isolated or shows a lack of interest in anything. Before anyone else notices, it is the responsibility of the parents to understand their child’s problems and find an appropriate solution. They should influence their child in a way that they overcome the pangs of low self-esteem and lead an independent life.

Moreover, for building low self-esteem parents should look for self-esteem techniques and strategies and implement them based on their child’s condition. For effective results, parents should know the root cause of the problem to find an appropriate solution.

Building Self-Esteem in Children: Importance of Parental Involvement and Key Factors

Parenting is not easy and at times can be both irritating and frustrating. Nurturing small kids is not an easy task, therefore; parents are advised to be careful when implementing values in the minds of their children. The busy schedule makes it difficult for parents to spend time with their kids, thus making their kids believe that they’re unimportant. Therefore, the first step to building self-esteem in kids is to spend time with them and make them understand the importance of their life.

According to a few psychologists, high self-esteem can be cultivated in children through acceptance, belonging, and competence, which have been discussed below:

•    Acceptance:

It is not right on the part of parents to criticize their children for everything that they do. For example, many parents get irritated at their kids for their choice of music and the clothes they wear, which makes the child consider him/her to be unacceptable. As a result, many children try to do the opposite that their parents oppose such as playing games on the computer, watching movies, listening to music, etc. Because, when children do not get acceptance from their parents they seek acceptance from their friends. Moreover, being criticized all the time can develop low self-esteem in children and they prefer staying isolated from their parents. Therefore, parents are advised to understand their child’s emotions at a tender age and explain things rather than scolding or criticizing them all the time. Parents should show care and concern towards their likes and dislikes so that they feel accepted and loved.

•    Belongingness:

Imbibing a sense of belongingness in children can help in building self-esteem. There are several ways for parents to express that they care for their children and understand their emotions. For example, parents can create a community within the family where children are given importance to share their opinions, listen to their problems/suggestions, and provide constructive feedback on their decisions. Children having high self-esteem have the ability to handle peer pressure and face the challenges of life with a smile.

•    Competence:

The third and most useful way of building self-esteem is helping children experiencing the difficulties of life of their own. Experts say that children who have the ability to solve problems are more competent than others. Therefore, parents should not say “no” to their kids whenever they are interested to do something new and interesting. Although, parents should guide them they should learn to take the first steps on their own.