Dr LeCrone
05-21-2006, 09:24 PM
Last week I began discussing them importance of developing self-esteem in children and about the parent’s role in understanding this need.
A colleague who specializes in child psychology recently presented information to me that I would like to share.
Emphasizing three variables – security, significance and confidence – will help children feel secure. Parents can work toward building their children’s self-esteem by following these guidelines.
• First, believe in yourself as a parent and adult. A parent who himself radiates inadequacy tends to perpetuate the cycle of low self-esteem.
• Second, parents need to provide unconditional love for their children. No rules and no limits should be prescribed; no doubts should be left in the child’s mind about the parents’ love for him.
• Parents ought to provide an atmosphere of enjoyment. Laughter and humor should be encouraged.
• Parents need to communicate clearly with the child and be active listeners. Parents should not always provide solutions. They need to be honest and admit if they make a mistake or don’t understand something.
• Display respect to the child. Parents who don’t exhibit this mutual respect run the risk of letting the children become manipulative and play one parent against the other.
The second area of importance is helping the child develop a feeling of personal significance. The following guidelines will help:
• Show your child that you believe in him.
• Honestly accept your child’s limits and gifts. Remember that as a parent, your job is to ensure that your children become the most they can be.
• Help develop your child’s strengths by finding his talents and helping him to develop them.
Finally, help your child develop confidence.
• Help your child become successful. Assist him in finding things he can do well. Let him become involved in these activities.
• Help your child understand that he can learn from a less-than-sterling performance. Less-than-successful does not mean failure.
• Help strengthen your child in weaker areas.
By concentrating on security, significance and confidence, parents can help raise healthy, happy, and successful children.
Harold H. LeCrone, Jr., Ph.D. Copyright 1989
A colleague who specializes in child psychology recently presented information to me that I would like to share.
Emphasizing three variables – security, significance and confidence – will help children feel secure. Parents can work toward building their children’s self-esteem by following these guidelines.
• First, believe in yourself as a parent and adult. A parent who himself radiates inadequacy tends to perpetuate the cycle of low self-esteem.
• Second, parents need to provide unconditional love for their children. No rules and no limits should be prescribed; no doubts should be left in the child’s mind about the parents’ love for him.
• Parents ought to provide an atmosphere of enjoyment. Laughter and humor should be encouraged.
• Parents need to communicate clearly with the child and be active listeners. Parents should not always provide solutions. They need to be honest and admit if they make a mistake or don’t understand something.
• Display respect to the child. Parents who don’t exhibit this mutual respect run the risk of letting the children become manipulative and play one parent against the other.
The second area of importance is helping the child develop a feeling of personal significance. The following guidelines will help:
• Show your child that you believe in him.
• Honestly accept your child’s limits and gifts. Remember that as a parent, your job is to ensure that your children become the most they can be.
• Help develop your child’s strengths by finding his talents and helping him to develop them.
Finally, help your child develop confidence.
• Help your child become successful. Assist him in finding things he can do well. Let him become involved in these activities.
• Help your child understand that he can learn from a less-than-sterling performance. Less-than-successful does not mean failure.
• Help strengthen your child in weaker areas.
By concentrating on security, significance and confidence, parents can help raise healthy, happy, and successful children.
Harold H. LeCrone, Jr., Ph.D. Copyright 1989