How Parents Can Develop Positive Self-Esteem in Their Children

By Bob Perdue

Building self-esteem in children is part of the role of a parent। While many articles and books will encourage parents to use positive affirmation, to avoid ridicule and humiliation, to find their child's niche, the most powerful thing a parent can do to influence their child's self esteem is to have a positive self esteem themselves।

Adults who have a poor self-esteem tend to pass that on to their children। They either seem to assume that their children are as deficient as they are, or they place an impossible standard on their children in an effort to assure that they excel. Either way, the child tends to end up feeling that they don't measure up, and probably never will. Poor self-esteem.

Poor self-esteem is often rooted in childhood trauma। This trauma may be as innocent as frequent correction or as severe as sexual abuse. The power of the trauma is completely dependent on how the individual processed and interpreted it. Parents who experienced some trauma as a child which they have never fully dealt with are destined to contribute to their child's poor self-esteem!
So, before you begin to formulate a plan to promote positive self-esteem in your children, do an little inventory of your own self esteem। You may ask yourself these questions:

1) Do I have a good sense of my own worth or value?
2) Do I feel that I belong or am accepted by others?
3) Do I consider myself capable of making life work?
4) Am I comfortable with my gender?

If the answer to any of the above questions is "no", you may need to explore what unresolved issue in your past has contributed to these negative feelings and seek resolution through confrontation, forgiveness or therapy। As you begin to feel more confident and positive about who you are, you will be better equipped to pass that on to your children. Positive self-esteem is not so much taught as it is "bestowed".


Bob's testimony and the keys to his success can be found in his book, 10 Life Choices available at http://www.lifenowministries.com or http://www.amazon.com. Bob is a gifted speaker and has shared his testimony throughout the US, in Brazil, Portugal and Germany. Contact Bob at bob@lifenowministries.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bob_Perdue