{"id":220,"date":"2016-09-12T09:06:40","date_gmt":"2016-09-12T15:06:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wordpress.iseeme.com\/blog\/?p=220"},"modified":"2018-01-16T16:48:10","modified_gmt":"2018-01-16T22:48:10","slug":"building-a-healthy-sense-of-self-in-children","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wordpress.iseeme.com\/blog\/2016\/09\/12\/building-a-healthy-sense-of-self-in-children\/","title":{"rendered":"Building a Healthy Sense of Self in Children"},"content":{"rendered":"

Growing up in a society obsessed with physical beauty and good looks is difficult, whether or not a child\u2019s appearance matches cultural expectations (and few people do). Social pressures surrounding appearance can leave children thinking their only worth lies in their looks, whether they\u2019re considered \u201cpretty\u201d or not by the world at large.<\/p>\n

Building a sense of sense and inner worth prevents children from believing beauty is skin deep. The need for self-worth is what inspired I See Me\u2019s Who Loves Me?<\/a> personalized book and My Little Book of Blessings. Personalized book gifts only go so far, however. In most cases, a kid with a healthy sense of self usually has parents who deliberately cultivated self-esteem and confidence.<\/p>\n

Value Actions, not Looks<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cOh what a beautiful little girl!\u201d \u201cSuch a handsome boy!\u201d \u201cWhat a pretty dress!\u201d<\/p>\n

We\u2019ve all heard comments like this, usually from well-meaning strangers. While okay occasionally, such statements do nothing for a child\u2019s self-worth and require nothing back from the child other than an embarrassed \u201cthank you.\u201d<\/p>\n

As parents, we\u2019re enormous influencers of how our children see the world, so we need to make an effort to see past appearance. This can be tough\u2014we\u2019ve spent a lifetime in a beauty-centric culture\u2014but it\u2019s worth the effort. Comment on people\u2019s actions, not their appearance. One of our staff writers makes a point to never tell a little girl she\u2019s pretty. Instead, she asks about her favorite books or activities, encouraging the child to engage in conversation.<\/p>\n

Talk about Feelings, Including Uncomfortable Ones<\/strong><\/p>\n

Kids with a healthy sense of self-worth are in touch with their emotions. They know it\u2019s okay to feel happy or sad, silly or serious, and that these emotions are what give life meaning, not how we look.<\/p>\n

Cultivate your child\u2019s connection to their emotions by talking about feelings\u2014both theirs, yours, and other people\u2019s. A child with a firm understanding of emotions is more empathic and more likely to base their opinions on behavior and feelings rather than looks and clothing.<\/p>\n

Praise Results, But Praise Effort as Well<\/strong><\/p>\n

Reaching a goal deserves praise, but sincere effort should be rewarded as well. When a kid\u2019s only praised for results, he may give up after a few failures. Honest praise for hard work\u2014even if the end result isn\u2019t achieved\u2014reminds him effort is important, and encourages him to get up, dust himself off, and try again.<\/p>\n

Cultivate Gratitude<\/strong><\/p>\n

Self-worth is intimately tied to gratitude and an awareness of one\u2019s blessings. Remind children of what they have to be thankful for, and they\u2019ll have a more realistic view of the world than kids who only focus on what they don\u2019t have.<\/p>\n

Be subtle\u2014too much reminding can seem like lecturing. Reading our My Little Books of Blessings<\/a> personalized book at bedtime is a fun way to underscore the many people and events that make a child\u2019s life wonderful.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Growing up in a society obsessed with physical beauty and good looks is difficult, whether or not a child\u2019s appearance matches cultural expectations (and few people do). Social pressures surrounding appearance can leave children thinking their only worth lies in their looks, whether they\u2019re considered \u201cpretty\u201d or not by the world at large. Building a sense of sense and inner worth prevents children from believing beauty is skin deep. The need for self-worth is what <\/i><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[8],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nBuilding a Healthy Sense of Self in Children | I See Me!<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Growing up in a society obsessed with physical beauty is difficult, whether or not a child\u2019s appearance matches cultural expectations. 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