As parents we need to spend time on building the self esteem of our children and not assume that it will come naturally. Self esteem can be a strange and often elusive quality. Children get derailed very easily especially in today’s fast paced competitive world where they need to keep up with others around them, technology and many times very successful high achiever “type” parents.

If your child has a low self-esteem or confidence, it is not about what we can say to make them feel better, but more about how we can make the situation better. Building self esteem does not happen overnight and needs to be a conscious, organized and consistent daily exercise to achieve results.

One technique that has proven very effective is referred to as The Limit Setting Role for Parents.

Limits need to be set for all children, including those with poor self esteem. Gen3rally children with poor self esteem will take out their anger on their siblings or loved ones. Without limits and consequences, without that balance of responsibility and accountability, kids may never feel compelled to change and may get stuck in the same “feel bad, take it out on others” cycle, which doesn’t solve their problem. This develops into the “self-pity” no one cares for me attitude as they grow up, becoming more negative and antisocial.

Here are some tips on building self esteem in preschool age kids:

ü  Build on a child’s interest by educating them more on a topic.

ü   Involve children in real tasks and jobs

ü   Treat children with respect

ü  Give positive constructive feedback on everything they do.

ü  If they make a mistake correct them and then reassure them that you love them

ü   Be a role model and behave as you would want them to behave

ü   Spend time together.

ü  Teach problem-solving skills

ü  Allow children to make decisions

ü  Reinforce the positive.

ü  Prepare children for social settings.