Each individual make mistakes. Some mistakes are harder to get over and some mistakes are more significant than others. Dealing with those mistakes is important for an individual to build their self-esteem. In case of children they understand that it’s not a crime to make mistakes and they seem to have the ability to cope up with them, if they are taught about it in their earlier age itself. They even learn to recognize and admit the mistakes done by them. Most significant thing is, these children also develop a tactic to change the mistakes and not to repeat the same.
The process of making and learning from mistakes is really precious life skill for everyone because learning involves risking. Each time children risk themselves but, they will not always be successful. However they try something new and most likely learned from it as a result.
Children with low self-esteem deal with making a mistake quite in a different way. More often than not, these children use the experience to diminish themselves. Instead of looking at the error as an opportunity to learn, these children interpret the experience as a reason to give up and never try again. They view it as a devaluing and humiliating experience.
You can help your child manage with mistakes by first making sure they understand that everyone makes mistakes, even you. Own up to your own mistakes to teach them there’s no shame in making them. Make sure they understand that it’s okay to make mistakes. This presents a great opportunity to tell your child what you’ve learned to do differently the next time. Then, offer strategies to turn mistakes into learning chances. In the process, you can provide your child with an opportunity to enhance their self-esteem and accept responsibility for the mistakes they make. Help your child to realize that the mistake is the problem, and not them. Then help them develop a positive plan for the next time around, and what they’ll do differently the next time to avoid repeating the same mistake.
Children start imitating at a very young age and this is how they learn to behave, care for themselves, cultivate new skills, and communicate with others. For their initial moments they observe you closely and design their own behavior and beliefs after yours. You will be the role model for your children and the examples what you show will become the everlasting images, which will form their way of behaving and actions for the rest of their life.
It’s important to be accountable, reliable and loving with your child. This also holds true for the connection you have with your spouse, your parents, and other family members and friends that are also a part of your child’s life. Own up to mistakes when you make them, and communicate open and honestly with all family members.
It’s also important to take good care of yourself. When we’re concentrating on what’s best for our child it’s easy to neglect our own needs. Your child and your family are depending on you physically and emotionally, so it’s imperative that you teach your child by example that taking care of yourself helps you to take care of them and the rest of your family. This shows your child that not only do you love them and the rest of the family, but you love yourself as well. This is an important step in teaching your child about self esteem. This may involve getting a chair and treating yourself out to dinner and a movie, or doing another favorite action on your own. This teaches your child that you are not only their parent, but your own person with your interests and needs, and also gives them an option to show you how well they can do without you with them for a while.
It’s also important to take care of your relationship with your spouse. Let your child see you communicate in a positive and healthy manner with one another, and show love and affection for one another so your child can begin to learn early on what a healthy marriage should be like.
You’ll soon see your child patterning many of his behaviors after your own. So make sure that what you say and do around your child will help build a strong sense of safety and self esteem.
