Talking about self-esteem

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By Dr James Dobson

If self-esteem is something we value for our sons and daughters, maybe it would be helpful to assist them in achieving it.

It seems like every teenager has to come along today and bump his head on the same ol’ rock, experiencing those terrible feelings of inferiority and inadequacy.

To help kids minimise that experience, I’ve found it beneficial to talk to them about confidence long before adolescence has arrived. For example, when a young child meets another who’s too shy to speak or even look at him, you might say afterwards, “Did you notice that Jimmy didn’t look at anyone when he spoke? Why do you suppose he seemed so embarrassed when he was talking to us? Do you think he doesn’t have much confidence in himself?” And as the primary school years unfold, you can talk openly about feelings of low self-worth, and how they translate into action.

When we train our children in this way — to see others in a truer light, while preserving their own dignity and sense of worth — we’re laying a foundation for their own self-confidence during the inevitable storms of adolescence.

From TODAY, Voices - Monday, 29-March-2010
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