Loving and affectionate parents support and praise children. Parents build up their child’s belief that the world is a good place.
The child becomes an adult with people around them who support and love them. Their self-esteem comes from their interaction with their families and their environment.
When babies see themselves through their parents’ eyes, they begin to develop a sense of self. Your children pick up on your tone of voice, body language, and facial expressions. More than anything else, your words and actions as a parent influence their developing self-esteem. Praise for accomplishments, no matter how minor, will make them feel proud; allowing children to do things on their own will make them feel capable and strong. Belittling comments or unfair comparisons of one child to another, on the other hand, will make children feel worthless. Avoid using words as weapons or making loaded statements. Comments such as “What a stupid thing to do!” or “You act more like a baby than your little brother!” cause just as much damage as physical blows. Choose your words wisely and with compassion. Tell your children that everyone makes mistakes and that you still love them even if you don’t agree with their behavior. Have you ever considered how many times you react negatively to your children in a given day? You might find yourself criticizing more than complimenting. How would you feel about a boss who gave you so much negative advice, even if it was well-intended? Every household requires discipline. The goal of discipline is to teach children acceptable behaviors and self-control. They may test the boundaries you set for them, but they need those boundaries to mature into responsible adults.
