What is self-esteem?

Self-esteem refers to how an individual thinks and feels about him or herself. Levels of self-esteem can vary between primarily positive and primarily negative. Self-esteem is such a powerful thing that it can dictate how one lives their life, daily decisions, and even how an individual views others.

Why does my child have low self-esteem?

As early as age three, children begin to develop and build self-esteem. Each opportunity for a child to be able to take initiative and be comfortable with him or herself builds upon this self-esteem. The child will begin to practice taking on tasks of their own, overcoming new challenges, and finding out what they can handle. The more challenges a child tackles, the more positively a child feels about experiencing and handling success –– and failure. The vast majority of young people have experienced low self-esteem in their lifetime. These numbers do not tend to decrease as we age, unless these negative thought patterns are stopped in their tracks.

If a child has low self-esteem, it may reflect in their behaviors and actions. Signs of low self-esteem include constantly putting oneself down, comparing oneself to others in a negative way, doubting success, fearing change, and feelings of inadequacy. Children who lose their temper easily may also have low self-esteem.

Although parents are best to support their children and make sure they are equipped to cope with daily tasks, every child is different. Some children may be harder on themselves. To help build a child's self-esteem, parents can try praising them for something they have done. Children need to feel cared for and listened to, and they need most of all to know that their parents are there to listen to them and support them without judgment.

Frequently asked questions about counseling for low self-esteem

Thinking about getting your child counseling to help with their self-esteem? Let us go over the answers to some of the questions you might have:

1. What is self-esteem?

Self-esteem refers to how well a person feels about themselves overall, how much self-love they have, and how positively they view themselves. Self-esteem develops from situations and experiences that shape how you feel about yourself.

Self-esteem should not be confused with self-confidence, which is how a person feels about their abilities. Self-confidence often varies from situation to situation. It is normal to feel confident about things you excel at.

Self-love improves a person’s self-esteem, which also leads to increased confidence. When people are confident about their abilities in certain areas of life, their self-esteem gradually improves. Counseling can help to teach children with low self-esteem effective ways to improve their view of themselves and change negative behavior patterns.

2. How important are boundaries regarding self-esteem?

One good indicator of low self-esteem is not having personal boundaries. It is hard for people to feel good about themselves when they allow others to do things that harm them. Some of the questions parents should ask themselves if their child has low self-esteem include:

• Is the child constantly worried about what others think?

• Does the child feel guilty for wanting to do things on their own?

• How often does the child say “no” to anyone?

• Does the child habitually say “yes” to things they do not want to do?

• Does the child think being nice earns them respect?

• Does the child set rules for their friends?

Counseling for your child with low self-esteem

Kid counselors who focus on building self-esteem in children work closely with the parents and child to give the child a positive outlook on life and themselves. Eliminating negative self-talk, encouraging the accomplishments of a child, giving that child small tasks to build their self-image, and reversing negative thinking patterns are just a few of the focuses of counseling. Give our practice a call today if you think your child is suffering from low self-esteem.

Become a new patient today or give us a call: 631-673-3233.