
Building and nurturing healthy self-esteem from an early age plays a crucial role in a child’s overall development. This profoundly affects their behavior and emotions throughout their growth. So how do you build self-esteem in children? Let’s explore this topic with AVAKids’ Early Childhood Education (0-6 years) section in the following article!

How to build healthy self-esteem in children. Source: Pexels
1. What is healthy self-esteem?
Self-esteem is the awareness of one’s own worth. Basically, it’s how children perceive, evaluate, respect, and love themselves. Healthy self-esteem is formed by the degree to which they feel loved, supported, and praised by important people in their lives, such as parents, teachers, or friends.
It’s important to note that self-esteem is not synonymous with arrogance or narcissism. Loving yourself and having confidence in your abilities is different from thinking you are the center of the world or that your needs are more important than the needs of others.
Along with fostering self-esteem, parents need to teach children other important qualities such as empathy, kindness, compassion, and gratitude.
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2. How to build healthy self-esteem in children
Building healthy self-esteem helps children calmly cope with failures, pressures, and other challenges throughout their lives. Here are a few simple methods parents can apply.
Show your love every day
Don’t hesitate to show your love for your children every day. Feeling loved by their parents gives children a sense of security and belonging. Unconditional love from family lays a healthy and solid foundation for children’s later development.
Hug and kiss your child before going to work or before bedtime, sit and read together, or gather the whole family around the dinner table. As children grow up, a strong family foundation will be a source of strength that helps them build social connections and face life’s challenges.
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Spend time playing with your child
Playing with your child seems simple, but it brings countless benefits to both parents and children. When parents spend time with them, children feel loved and valued.
Many studies show that children who participate in healthy play have increased happiness and reduced risk of depression and anxiety. Through playtime, children have the space to develop their creative potential and communication skills. Moreover, playing with your child is a great stress reliever for parents after a tiring workday.

Parents should spend time playing with their children. Source: Pexels
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Assign your child simple chores
Parents can assign simple chores to build a sense of responsibility in children. Being given “important tasks” will make children feel valued and motivate them to complete the work independently. Even if the child doesn’t do it well, parents should still encourage their efforts and reassure them that they will do better over time. Moreover, being given responsibilities will help children develop self-confidence and give them a sense of control over their lives.
Encourage independence
Instead of pampering and over-caring, parents should create space for children to develop independence and life skills from an early age. For example, let children figure out how to ask questions and seek help from teachers when they encounter difficulties, complete homework independently, fold their blankets and pillows after waking up, etc. Overprotection from family can weaken children’s independence and negatively impact their self-esteem.
Before parents intervene in children’s problems, encourage them to “be proactive” in asking questions and finding solutions. This will build independence and autonomy in children, thereby increasing their confidence in their own abilities.
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Don’t insult your child
When your child behaves in a way that disappoints or upsets you, pay attention to controlling your own emotions and, at the same time, separate that behavior from the child. Don’t yell or scold, but talk to your child respectfully and gently. Explaining the possible consequences in a soft tone will make it easier for your child to understand what you want to convey.
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Teach your child to learn from mistakes
Parents should be patient with their children’s mistakes. Everyone grows up from their mistakes. Teach your child to view failures as opportunities for improvement and self-development.
If you notice a problem with your child’s behavior or manners, try to turn those situations into opportunities for growth. This will help build confidence and show your child that making mistakes is perfectly normal, as long as they address them in a healthy way.
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Let your child be creative and express themselves

Let children freely create and express themselves. Source: Pexels
Give children the opportunity to “show off” their creations. When children draw, write a short story, or build a model, invite them to tell you about their work. Parents can ask about their thoughts and feelings about these creations, and encourage them with praise.
If your child prefers to be creative at home rather than at school, you can encourage them to display their “achievements” around the house. This helps children feel that their “work” is noticed and appreciated. This will make them feel more confident in their abilities.