Self esteem is how we feel about ourselves and our behavior reflects those feelings. As grandparents, we can help our grandchildren develop a high sense of self esteem. This will affect their ultimate happiness and success in life.
How do we go about promoting Self Esteem?
* Whenever you feel good about your grandchild, express those positive feelings. Too often, as grandparents, we focus on negatives and forget about the positives. Children remember positive statements, as well as the negative ones. Practice giving your grandchild “words of encouragement” on a daily basis. Make sure that your positive statements far outweigh any negative ones that slip in.
* Be generous with your words of praise and get in the habit of looking for times when your grandchild is doing a good job or using one of his talents. Use your praise to point out positive character traits, such as “You are such a thoughtful person. I am really proud of you.”
* Keep any necessary criticism to a minimum and direct it to your grandchild’s actions rather than your grandchild.
* Help your grandchild learn how to make positive self-statements. What we think about ourself determines how we feel about ourself and how we feel about ourself determines our behavior.
Signs of High Self Esteem
A child with good self esteem will be able to:
* act independently
* tolerate changes & frustrations
* take on responsibility
* have pride in accomplishments
* accept failures
* attempt new tasks & challenges
* offer help to others
Signs of Poor Self Esteem
A child with a poor self esteem will:
* feel unloved & unwanted
* blame others for own shortcomings
* be emotionally indifferent
* avoid trying new things
* have a low level for frustration
* be easily influenced
* have negative feelings about own self worth
Keep it positive and your grandchild will be positive, happier and better adjusted overall.
Sharon Pierce McCullough is co-creator and content developer of a network of family-oriented websites. She is passionate about family and devotes her time working on her sites dealing with babies, kids, parents and grandparents. An advocate of early learning and literacy, McCullough writes many articles dealing with childhood education, health and the well-being of children.
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