As my son is getting older and about to enter his first year of Pre-K in a mainstream class (children with disabilities and children who receive no services). One of the things I am trying to teach him to have self esteem.

Korey’s personality is outlined by his sensory processing disorder. It is just a part of everything that he does so it’s prominent in his mannerisms.

Teaching Your Child To Have Self Esteem

Understanding Their Strengths

Making sure that your child knows what they are good at is important. While we want our children to be modest, they need to know if they are very good at reading, writing, or a sport.

When they are in a group setting and an activity comes up with something they have great ability in they can feel confident in knowing they can complete it. At home offer words of encouragement and asks questions.

“You can do _____ so well!”

“Wouldn’t it be great help out your friends with ___________.”

“How did you learn to do _________?”

Giving them questions to answer helps their self esteem when they are in a classroom setting and will be called upon. A question that will result in a direct answer is the best type to ask so there is no confusion. If they are stuck on the question, you should know the answer to help guide them to the conclusion.

Allow Them To Be Independent

Are you constantly tying their shoes? Still cutting everything into bite size pieces for babies? Read every line of the story? If there’s no reason to hold them back from figuring out these tasks on their own then start easing them into learning.

When you jump in every moment you are not allowing them to discover the way to solve the problem. Eventually they will lose the feeling of wanting to do that task themselves. Now you’ve created a child who will look towards everyone else for completing a task.

Show them how to do what they are trying, step-by-step and walk them through it one by having them complete it. After a few weeks your child with have started to become an expert in the task. As all children they may want to give up and just have you do it but let them know that they can complete it and you know they are a “big boy/girl”. Children love the idea of becoming bigger so it’s a great incentive.

How do you help your child have self esteem?