Your child’s perception of themselves, including their strengths and weaknesses, often begins long before they ever set foot in St. John Amelith School. Building self-esteem during critical developmental years helps kids boost their confidence, feel loved and valued at home and at school, and learn how to form healthy relationships with their peers. Here are a few key strategies for reinforcing positive self-esteem with your children in the home:

Positive Affirmations

Words of affirmation like, “I’m proud of how you handled that,” or “I appreciate you helping me,” show your child that they are seen, heard, and appreciated. Using these affirmations consistently helps children form positive thought patterns, specifically about themselves, that grow their self-confidence over time. In times of stress, anxiety, or uncertainty, these affirmations can also be an important reminder for kids who are developing resiliency in the face of challenges

Encourage Independence

As a parent, the word “independence” might seem scary when thinking about your child, but age-appropriate decision-making actually helps children to learn how to trust themselves and their own abilities. Even small decisions, like what outfit to wear or what to have for lunch, helps your child develop discernment skills and feel a sense of accomplishment in being able to take ownership of their own actions. For teenagers, this can sometimes look like asking them for input or allowing them to make age-appropriate decisions about hobbies, friends, or extracurriculars. By encouraging independent thinking, kids are empowered to approach new situations and decisions with increased confidence.

Process Praise

Even as adults, it can feel frustrating when we aren’t able to do something as perfectly as we’d like. For children, this perfectionism can sometimes feel like failure! Instead, try using process praise rather than person praise that focuses on acknowledging effort, improvement, or simply the courage to try. Phrases like, “I know that didn’t go as well as you would have liked, but I’m proud of you for giving it a shot anyway,” can help children build confidence in their ability to overcome challenges and solve problems, even if it takes time. This also helps avoid overwhelming feelings of guilt or shame because children are encouraged to see their efforts rather than simply unfavorable outcomes.

Be a Confident Role Model

Parents are often a children’s first teachers, and more often than not you will see your child start to imitate the behaviors they see in you. Helping your child develop their confidence sometimes means being a model of self-confidence for them. Acknowledging your strengths and the things you’d like to work on can show children that they are not required to be perfect, and by both expressing feelings and resolving conflicts with confidence, your child will begin to follow suit. Here at St. John Amelith School, we’re passionate about advocating for our students and helping them grow into strong, confident, and self-assured adults. We value our relationships with parents, and believe that together we can help children build self-esteem to truly believe that they are capable, valued, and loved no matter the situation or circumstan