Parents are responsible for caring for and giving our children everything they need for their healthy development, from their physical health to their emotional education. And without a doubt, one of the things that most concern us as parents is to make sure that our children are happy.
A happy child is one who feels confident and self-confident, and who has the support and accompaniment of his loved ones, who encourage him to be what he wants, to experience and develop as a person. In this sense, our example will be key to this, as well as vocabulary and positive conversations.
Show our trust
Self-esteem is something that should be trained from childhood, and parents play a fundamental role in the time that our children forge positive self-esteem, and grow emotionally strong and prepared to face the challenges that life will bring.
One of the keys to strengthening this self-esteem is showing them our confidence and providing them with security, reinforcing their positive behaviors by praising their successes, and not highlighting their mistakes.
In this way, we can help our children build good self-esteem, the basis of their future mental health. Some of the phrases we can tell you to show that we trust them and thus gain autonomy are:
- 1) I trust you
- 2) I know you can do it
- 3) Speak, think … I’m interested and listen to you
- 4) Your opinion is very important to me
- 5) It is you who must do it. I will be here to support you
- 6) What you have done has been extremely valuable
- 7) Your help is essential in this family
- 8) Without you, we would not have succeeded
- 9) I like how you did it
- 10) Thank you for your help.
- 11) I know that it has been a great effort for you, I value it and I thank you
- 12) I strongly believe in your abilities and I know that you can improve it, so I encourage you to continue practicing (when you ask us about something you have done and believe it can be improved)
The importance of believing in oneself
If the child has the understanding, support, and listening of his parents or reference figures, he will grow with strong self-confidence and self-confidence. Adults can continue to reinforce that self-esteem by encouraging them to make decisions and believe in themselves and their possibilities.
Some phrases that we can apply in our daily conversations with them are:
- 13) Learn to trust you
- 14) Believe in yourself: you can do it
- 15) Listen to your heart
- 16) That the opinions of others do not condition you
- 16) Always express your opinion, from respect and empathy
- 17) Look at what you have achieved!
- 18) Your effort has been worth it!
- 19) Dream big, set a goal and go for it **
- 20) Who must first be proud of the work you have done is you
- 24) Do not compare yourself with anyone, we are all unique and unrepeatable
- 25) We can’t be good at everything. We each have a special talent. Discover yours!
The importance of the effort
The effort is a value that we must instill in our children since they are young since none of us are born with the capacity for effort, work or sacrifice. Overprotecting them and giving them everything they ask to avoid problems or sufferings, will make them grow up thinking that things are easily achieved and without the need for effort. Nothing could be further from the truth.
The capacity for effort and sacrifice must develop day by day, turning behavior into habits and always trying to overcome a little more. Parents can help our children to understand the value of effort from our example, and with every day and motivating phrases like these that we propose:
- 26) If this is what you want, fight for it
- 27) Worthwhile things are not always easy to get
- 28) Do not give up in the face of adversity, but fight against them
- 29) Difficulties make us stronger
- 30) No calm sea made a sailor expert
- 31) Step by step it is making its way and today you are closer to achieving it than yesterday
- 32) The only impossible is that which is not attempted
- 33) Life is full of obstacles, but only you will decide what your limits are
- 34) The only fight that is lost is the one that is abandoned
- 35) If you have not achieved the results you expected, find another way to do it to obtain different results
Mistakes, source of learning
None like to make mistakes, and children much less. But with maturity, we understand that mistakes are an excellent source of learning, and so we must pass it on to children. Because no one is born knowing, and to err is fundamental to continue advancing through life from experience.
One way to empower children is to make them see that mistakes are not a failure, but a wonderful way to learn :
- 36) Your mistakes do not define you
- 37) Mistakes are learning
- 38) We are all wrong; you shouldn’t feel bad about it
- 39) Analyze your mistake and try again: now it will be easier
- 40) Wrong is good because it helps you improve
- 41) Don’t stop trying. Never give up.
