In children, self-esteem will inevitably determine their future behavior with others, but also with themselves. You, parents, you can support your child on a daily basis in developing their self-esteem and self-confidence. We help you.
According to Danish therapist Jesper Juul, a healthy self-esteem in a child would prevent drug addiction, eating disorders, scarification, suicide and suicidal behavior, crime, violence … What is meant by esteem self “healthy”? It's about a realistic image of oneself, on which we will not pass judgment.
Self-confidence comes next and represents, for its part, the value that we will place in the morning upon waking up: "Do I have the right to be loved? "," What am I worth? ". This personal consideration constitutes the base of the human behavioral pyramid. While self-confidence is built mainly during childhood, it is also acquired throughout life, through different experiences. As you grow up, it allows you to assert yourself, to follow your own guide, to speak out against things that seem unjust to us, to assume your responsibilities or to receive criticism in a constructive way.
Recognizing that you have talents, accepting yourself and loving yourself are all things that develop self-esteem and therefore self-confidence. The role of parents is very important in this journey because they can help their child achieve it. Using short sentences, which can sometimes seem innocuous, a child will feel important, understood and loved, and that is very important! Here are 16 phrases to say to boost your child's self-esteem.
You are unique. You have qualities, your faults, your strengths and your weaknesses. You have different talents and riches from your brothers, sisters or comrades.
I believe in you. It helps to reinforce the feeling of being able to accomplish things in life and to show your support / confidence.
You have your place in the family. Sometimes a child does not feel he belongs in his family, sometimes when he has a lot of older siblings. Let her know that her presence matters and that she is essential to the well-being of the family.
Don't be ashamed to express your feelings. This is one aspect that will follow him throughout his life. Children who were allowed / encouraged to express their emotions during childhood show less signs of abuse in adulthood. Conversely, internalizing what one feels can have serious consequences later (violence, emotional disorders, etc.).
I'm here with you. I stay close to you as long as you need it. Let your child know that they can always count on you. As he grows up he may need your help less, but until then tell him you'll be there no matter what.
I listen to you. A child's word counts, even if they are still small. This won't necessarily influence all of your decisions, but letting a child speak up and showing them that they can be heard is very important.
I trust you. Knowing that someone trusts us is fundamental, even as an adult. For a child, this aspect is reassuring and will allow him later to be able to trust others more easily.
You have the right to fall and get up, that's how you learned to walk. Everyday encouragement is essential in developing a child's self-confidence. It's up to you to teach him that failures are not final and do not define him. With perseverance and will, anything is possible for him.
well done. Recognizing the failures is necessary, but so is the success! It is important to congratulate a child when they have accomplished something.
Do your best and most importantly, take pleasure in everything you do. Giving yourself fully in something makes it easier to accept failure and therefore to get up again more easily. Enjoying what you do is also essential and the satisfaction is even greater when you are successful.
You can do it. Encouraging him through hardships and on a daily basis will help him gain self-confidence.
I love you because you are you. This kind of sentence helps strengthen emotional security. Your child should know that your love for him is unconditional, which will reassure him.
You have the right to have your opinion and to give it. It instills freedom of expression and opinion. You, my child, you are an individual in your own right and you have the right to think for yourself.
You are not alone, you are loved and appreciated. Knowing that you are loved and that your life matters is essential for developing self-esteem and self-confidence.
Your word counts in my eyes. Even if he is wrong, what he thinks and what he says does matter.
Your happiness is very important to me. He should know that you care about how good he feels about himself and his surroundings. Best of all, you'll do anything to help him get there.