What can we do at home to increase our children’s self-esteem?

Some recommendations to reinforce the self-esteem of the little ones at home.

What we say to our sons and daughters is important, but the facts are much more important.

This is so for several reasons, but the main one is that children have little developed language and understand less through words. Their natural way of learning is the experiences they have every day.

In this sense, here we will review some parenting tips to encourage children to tips of upbringing to favor that the self-esteem of the small ones of the house increases..

Tips to reinforce the self-esteem of our children at home.

There are many things that we can do during the day that increase the self-esteem and confidence of our sons and daughters, as for example the following ones.

1. Speak to them in a soft and respectful tone.

Children, like adults, do not like people who speak badly to them. We should try to speak to them kindly. They are more sensitive to shouting.

2. Wake them up with affection

Sometimes, due to the rush of everyday life, we wake them up abruptly, quickly and quite stressed. It is important to dedicate a little time to wake them up with a good morning kiss. At the end of the day that awakening is the first thing they perceive of us in the day..

3. Do not ask them to do everything right, nor perfection.

If we correct them frequently, we generate a feeling of overexertion and low self-esteem.

4. Talk to them about how our day has gone.

Sharing our day so that they will want to share theirs. Sometimes we question them about their day instead of sharing ours and waiting for them to want to share theirs. and wait for them to want to share what happened to them.

5. Listen to them with our full attention without distractions.

It is key to make them see that both they and the things they share with us are very important.

6. Validate their feelings without judging or questioning.

How many times do they tell us "I don't like this", "I don't want to do this" and we usually answer "Yes, you like it but now you don't feel like it" (for example).

Validating is not about doing what they say, but to empathize, to respect. "I know you don't like it, but..." "I understand that you want to do X, but...".

7. Smiles and physical contact

Sometimes, again because of the rush of everyday life and our own problems, we get into a routine where it's all about running, rushing and long faces. a routine where everything is running, rushing, and long faces.. Smiling at them, slowing down and giving them a hug sends them the message that we love and accept them. And this also gives us a break, a rest, a "stop to think and appreciate".

8. Being interested in their things

Maybe the characters of their favorite cartoons are not something we really want to know about, but for them they are their things and they are important. It is essential to connect with their inner world and with them..

9. Play

It is a way to spend time with them and when time goes by, those play memories will be a gift for both of you.

10. Correct them with respect

With affection, without threats, without punishments. In this way they will feel us as a safe place and they will identify mistakes as opportunities to learn and not as failures or situations to hide in order not to hide them. or situations that they must hide in order not to be punished. We want them to be able to talk to us when they have a problem, not to avoid telling us for fear of what we will say.

11. To have dinner and eat together as far as our schedules allow it

Perhaps in most houses it is easier to coincide in the dinner.. It is a time for everyone to share how the day went.

It is also a good place to set rules at the table (we stay seated, we respect the turn to speak...). Children who learn to respect the rules feel more self-confident.

12. Accompany them before going to sleep

That little while before going to sleep, where we are with them in the room, we read them a story or talk about the day to end with a goodnight kiss is a way to make them feel safe and secure..

There are many more things we can do to boost their self-esteem on a daily basis. Perhaps there is one last thing about which, although we take it for granted, the message doesn't always get through to them and they need to know it. It is to say to them: I love you, I like you very much the way you are. I am very proud of you.