1.  Realize that self-esteem is an internal concept. You can tell me all you want how great I am, but if I don’t believe that, it means nothing.
  2. Praise kids for things you believe about them rather than just praising them. For example it is better to say, “I love the way you colored that” and not “you are good at coloring.”
  3. Kids need boundaries to feel good about who they are. Consistency builds safety and that builds self-esteem. If a child knows that the adults around them can handle them, then they must not be that bad.
  4. Give choices! When kids can make their own choices, they are more likely to feel like they have mastery over the things in their life.
  5. Encourage kids to take risks. Trying something new takes a lot of courage and they can develop a better sense of themselves, even if their attempts don’t always succeed. Failure is not always a bad thing.
  6. Quality time! Nothing builds self-esteem like quality time. When we spend time talking with our kids we let them know that they are important.
  7. Lastly let your kids know that you love them unconditionally, and that there is nothing that they can do to take your love away.   
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