Building Self-Esteem

Children need to feel loved just for being themselves. Here are some ways in which parents can enhance their child’s self-esteem by their love:

• Set aside a special time of the day or a special day of the week when you and your child can spend uninterrupted time together. This may include, for example, going together to the mall to select shoes or some item of clothing for your child, going to the post office together to mail some letters, or stopping by the library to return some books or take out some new ones.

• Keep records of your child’s development. This may include keeping a scrapbook with samples of your child’s artwork, or a special photo album or a home videotape of your child’s favorite activities. You may want to reserve a drawer where you can store mementos from your child’s life.

• Keep written records. Write down some fun things that happened along the way with the dates. Write down those funny, hard-to understand words. In later years, these will become treasured memories.

• On your child’s birthday or some other special occasions, write a letter to your child in which you indicate some of the ways in which your child is special to you. Be sure to keep these letters for your child’s future reading.