Reading time: 4 mins
Suitable for: Families of younger children
Self-esteem is how we see ourselves. Our sense of personal value and self-worth. It’s based on our own opinions and beliefs about ourselves. Everybody has self-esteem, whether it’s low or high. As your child grows, they’re able to do more things by themselves, try new things, and learn skills. They feel good about themselves when they can successfully do something independently, and so their self-esteem grows.
Self-esteem gives your child the confidence to:
- Try new things
- Try again when things don’t go as planned
- Do things they might not enjoy or normally be good at
- Cope with mistakes
Every child is different and the things that might affect self-esteem can be different for each child, too. Some children have a lower sense of self-esteem than others.
If your child is struggling with low self-esteem, you may notice them feeling unsure, not joining in activities, and avoiding new situations. When something is difficult, they will give up easily, or not try at all. They may also find it hard to cope when they make a mistake or don’t win at an activity, or cheat and lie in games to try and stop them from losing.