Tips For Parents Building Their Teenagers Self Esteem
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Every parent wants the best for their child, and that includes them having a strong sense of self worth and value. If they have these tools, then they have a strong base on which to lean, especially through the potentially troublesome teenage years. |
The Child Development Institute (CDI) was developed in 2000 to provide information to parents in order to help them help their child or children develop to his or her potential. They describe self esteem as "a major key to success in life". They list the advantages of high self esteem in children and teenagers as
- The ability to act independently
- Can assume responsibility
- Can take pride in their accomplishments
- Can tolerate feelings of frustration
- Are will to attempt new tasks and challenges
- They have the ability to handle both positive and negative emotions
CDI offers tips for parents to use to assist in the building up of their teenager's self esteem. They include
- Tell your child when you feel good about them
- Practice giving your child words of encouragement
- Use praise to point out their character traits - such as "You are a great listener"
- Teach your child to make positive self statements
Other tips for parents include encouraging your child to take part in some kind of competitive sport or activity. They do not have to be the best football player or the next Hollywood actor, but being involved opens up experiences of being part of a team, working towards a common goal and shared achievement as well as social opportunities. Keeping lines of communication open with your teenager is also very important. The better you can communicate with your child, the better you can assess what they are experiencing in their lives, and how they are feeling about themselves. When our children are teenagers, it is important for us to remember what that time in life is like. It can be a time of great change and upheaval and as parents who have trodden that path before, we must provide as much support and understanding as we can.
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