“I can’t become a model. I’m not beautiful enough.” “I can’t even get one thousand followers on Instagram. How can I even dream of becoming a teen idol?”
Ever heard these statements from your child? Does she show signs of wanting to become a teen model but lack the confidence to do so? If this scenario sounds familiar, then you’re among the many whose children have low self-esteem.
Parents all around the world grapple with their children’s self-esteem issues. But while it may seem hopeless at first, you shouldn’t fret for there are ways you can help your child get through it. One of these ways includes introducing hobbies and activities that will silently-but-surely help your little one see herself in a new light.
After reading this article, you should be able to understand the root of those self-esteem issues and the different tasks you can have her do to improve.
Self-Esteem: Understanding the Concept
Generally, self-esteem is defined as one’s subjective opinion about her own worth. It covers not only the exterior aspects of a person’s being but also her beliefs and emotional state.
When a child has a good sense of self-esteem, she feels proud of her achievements and triumphs. Alternatively, a child with poor self-esteem often shows signs of shame and despair.
In short, those who put themselves in higher regard tend to feel happier and more contented with their lives. They also tend to become more successful in their endeavors.
With that in mind, it is safe to say that a child struggling with her self-esteem should be taught how to develop a better sense of self-worth. While this may take plenty of time and effort, it will all be worth it for both the child and her parents who support her all the way.
4 Activities to Boost Your Child’s Self-Esteem
While praise may be the most common go-to solution for a shy child, it may not be enough for her to change her views and values of herself significantly. This is why you must reinforce it with games and other activities that can help enhance her confidence in herself.
Unsure what to do? Here are four examples of activities you can have her do:
The “I Am” Activity
The “I am” activity is a popular classroom task you can use to help your little one develop her confidence and a better view of herself.
Using positive affirmation techniques and pen and paper, this activity effectively encourages positive thinking through writing. The idea is to reinforce positivity by assessing one’s good traits and “picturing” it through cutouts from magazines or drawings.
Once you’ve collected all other necessary materials such as scissors and old magazines, you’re ready to begin. Here are the steps on how to do this activity:
Step #1: Ask your child to write a list of words that describe who she is and how she sees herself as a person on a piece of paper. This can be both good and bad traits.
Step #2: After that, tell her to concentrate only on the positive way other people described her. Have her make a list of that as well.
Step #3: Pick a picture of your child and paste it onto the center of a drawing paper or chart. This should be a bigger piece of sheet to accommodate cutouts and drawings for step no. 4.
Step #4: Now, ask your youngster to write positive descriptive words around the blank area surrounding her photo. These should be adjectives that she can directly relate to. Then, add pictures and drawings that depict those words
Step #5: Finally, place the accomplished sheet inside in her room to help her view herself in a more positive light.
The Flip Activity
The “Flip” activity is a task you can have your child do to help her cope with failures and mistakes that caused her to lose confidence in herself. As the name suggests, this activity aims to “flip” the negative into positive, but it also offers a chance for the child to self-evaluate, solve problems, and, ultimately, improve herself.
For instance, your child may have included failing on a quiz at school as one of her failures. Beside it, have her write the possible solution to the matter, like studying harder for the next quiz or asking the teacher for help in understanding her mistakes in the quiz she failed in.
Letter to Yourself
This is probably the oldest, most underrated activity to help boost one’s self-esteem, and yet it still is considered an effective tool to achieve the goal.
As the name implies, this task entails having your child write a message for her future self in letter form. This can include anything – from her wishes and goals to her current predicament and how she thinks it can be solved in the future.
You may ask your child to handwrite a letter. After that, have her seal it in an envelope before giving it to you. You can then return it to her by the end of the year or on her next birthday.
You can also hand it back to her when she is faced with challenges in life that cause her to lose confidence and doubt her skills and capabilities. This way, she would be reminded of her own self-worth from a person she can trust – herself.
Keeping a Journal
Having your child keep a diary, a scrapbook, or a journal may also help her deal with her inner struggles. It can also be the avenue where she can take note of her milestones, which will serve as a reminder of her value when she feels down. This also works well for turning self-doubt into determination.
When teaching your child about journaling, make sure to remind her to focus on writing about her accomplishments and positive traits. This will help bolster her confidence and self-respect that eventually would turn into self-improvement.
On Modeling and Self-Esteem: Final Thoughts
Poor self-esteem is probably one of the most common parenting challenges many people face. Fortunately, there are ways how you can gradually solve it like the activities listed in this article. If your child is aspiring to enter the modeling industry, you must help her improve her confidence first before she takes on such a dynamic career.
AUTHOR BIO
Adam Jacobs is the Managing Director of Bubblegum Casting, the longest running agency specialising in babies, children and teen talent in Australia. Bubblegum Casting works with some of Australia’s biggest brands, media properties and agencies to secure talented children to work in Television, Film and Modelling roles.