Here are a few tips to help you build your kids' emotional well-being:
Praise to raise confidence.
Applauding your kids is critical to boosting self-esteem. A well-placed "bravo!" for an excellent paper or for a good effort on a tough task can help confidence soar. Give sincere, specific recognition for their actions and accomplishments and remember to balance the kudos: Praise for the sake of praise can ring false even to a child.
Tell them healthier can mean happier.
Let your kids know that when they treat their bodies well, they'll feel better about themselves.
- Encourage them to choose healthy foods over the junky stuff.
- Get them moving with family walks, activities with friends or lessons in an area of interest such as dancing.
- Discuss personal hygiene — being neat and clean can help children feel better about themselves.
Make the most of milestones.
Acknowledge learning milestones and other achievements to help kids gain the confidence needed for the next new experience. For example, with small children you could celebrate successful potty training or learning to ride a bike. With older kids, recognize a new babysitting job or winning a part in the school play.
Reinforce with responsibilities.
Give kids age-appropriate tasks and responsibilities around the house. Let them know they're valuable contributors to the household who make a difference that benefits everyone.
Be the role model.
Children look to their parents as models for certain behaviors, including self-image. If they see that you have healthy self-esteem, they'll be more likely to learn it for themselves.
Deal with disappointments.
It's inevitable: Life will hand your kids lemons. Offer loving support by acknowledging their disappointments, and then let them know you're proud that they gave their best effort, which is what matters most.
Take time to say, "I love you."
You can't say it enough. Whether your kids need to hear it on a "bad" day or just because, give them a hug and tell them you love them. Then watch those "wings" grow a little more each day!
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