4 ways to help build up your child’s self esteem

Sometimes children go through bouts of low self-esteem, resulting in them not making the most out of time spent at school or opportunities they are presented with. Here at Tutor Doctor we know how important it is to nurture and build up your child’s confidence, which is why we’ve come up with 4 ways to help build up your child’s self esteem. Having confidence in themselves will mean that your child can try new things, learn more, ask questions and most importantly thrive in life.

Pay attention
It’s important to dedicate time where you can give your child your undivided attention. It will do great things for their feelings of self worth by making them feel important, loved and valued. Remember to always make eye contact with your child so that they recognise that you’re giving them your full attention and listening to exactly what they’re saying. Even if it is for only a few minutes a day,  it really will make all the difference.

Support healthy risks
Encourage your child to take healthy risks, such as making a new friend, trying out a new activity or doing something that scares them a little. Even though there’s always the possibility of failure, without taking a risk there is also little opportunity for success. By conquering something they are scared of or tackling something new will be especially helpful in building up self-esteem levels.

Redirect inaccurate beliefs
If your child is being particularly negative and wallowing in self-doubt, it’s important to redirect inaccurate beliefs and remind them of their strengths. For example, if your child says to you; “I can’t do this maths homework, I’m really bad at it” say to them, “You’re a really good student, remember that amazing grade you got in English last week? Let’s work together and see if we can figure this homework out.” Reminding your child that everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses is a key way to help build up their self-esteem levels.
However, if you’re concerned that something deeper may be bothering your child, ask them more detailed questions about school, friends, and how they view themselves. You might decide it’s best to talk to a counsellor or mental health specialist.

Provide encouragement
Every child needs ongoing support that lets them know: “I believe in you. I know you’re doing your best- keep going!” Believe us when we say lots of encouragement will do wonders for building up your child’s self-esteem and will help them grow into a confident individual.
It’s also vital to remember that encouragement is a lot more beneficial than praise. This is because encouragement acknowledges the effort your child has put in, rather than praise which only recognises effort after they have done something ‘right’. Praise can sometimes make a child feel as though they are only good enough if they have done something perfectly, and too much can create pressure to perform and set up a continual need for approval from others. The most important message to send your child is that effort and seeing something through to the end is what really counts.