Building Self Esteem in Chilren: Help Raise Low Self Esteem

Help raise low self esteem through encouraging your child to take up a hobby or sport they find appealing. Hobbies, sports and interests benefit children in many ways. It gives a child an opportunity to express themselves, and it allows them to discover themselves and build their self-esteem as they learn about their strengths. They are also great educational tools. A child interested in rock collecting learns about geology and science, and a child in writing stories learns about sentence structure and proper grammar. Hobbies and interests such as sports teach children to set and achieve goals, solve problems and make decisions. They can also set the course for what your child becomes later in life as they often turn into lifelong interests or careers.

Children who have interests that actively involve them in activities are usually following in their parents footsteps, so set a good example by pursuing your own hobby. If you love crafts or sport or learning, cookery, gardening..... It doesn’t matter what it is just follow that interest and show them how having something like that can add richness and depth to a life. You meet new people, get involved with activities you might never have imagined at first and find your mind expanding as you widen and deepen your knowledge and skills in an area. Your child will need space for their hobby, so find an area designated specifically for this interest so they can work on it or store equipment for it. Remember that some hobbies can be messy! So be at the ready for messes as they come with the territory.

Be as available as possible to your child to provide guidance, support and encouragement. Even if you don’t know much about whatever their interest is you can learn along with them. Children love to make their parents and carers proud so be lavish with the praise you give them. However -do make sure it is not just indiscrimate praise where you go overboard ‘loving’ something they have done no matter how good bad or indifferent it is. Make sure you let them know why you like or admire something they have done. Even more important make sure you also admire their persistence, organisation, planning skills and creativity as they solve problems. Those aspects are essential skills for life so deserve to be nurtured!

You will soon see how this is a great time to teach your child strong work habits, such as following directions closely, setting goals, and proper planning and organization. Be encouraging and empathic when they hit frustrations – they will pass. You believing in their ability to solve the problems will boost them too.
Children will be more encouraged to work on their interests if activities like watching television or playing video games are time limited. It's been noted by experts that by age 15, the average child has spent more time watching television than sitting in a classroom. Again, here's where setting a good example is crucial. Instead of watching that four-hour football game on Saturday, turn the TV off and spend quality time with your child. Maybe you can find a shared interest and go to the local football game together. You can always record and watch that game later after bedtime – but you can never get back that afternoon time to share with your child and build their self esteem.