Nurture a Child’s Self-Concept and Self-Esteem |
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Educators should always work to nurture a child’s self-concept and self-esteem. Self-esteem is a favorable impression of oneself, where self-concept is one’s own self-image. While these two things are closely related, they are not the same. It is important that a child’s self-esteem is always supported in a positive way.
There is a difference between healthy and unhealthy self-esteem. Self-esteem can ebb and flow frequently from day to day for children. Some days children will have high self-esteem because they have accomplished a goal. Other days, they will have lower self-esteem, because they weren’t able to accomplish a task or a goal.
Children with healthy self-esteem will be able to bounce back easily on days when their self-esteem is very low. They will also enjoy interacting with other children and are comfortable in social settings and group activities. They are also able to navigate independent activities without getting frustrated or upset. Children with unhealthy self-esteem will be hesitant to try new things and may put themselves down and speak negatively of themselves. They may also give up easily and become easily frustrated or overwhelmed.