Self-esteem and self-image
What does it mean SELF-ESTEEM?
Self-esteem is a phenomenon which is known for a century under various names. The process of creating self-esteem is a work in progress . Anyone who grows, develops and changes according to time and reaches maturity, can reach the transformation with abandoning the old and adaptation of the new. It is a continuous movement between the real and ideal self.
Healthy people, research shows, see themselves as desirable, accepted, capable and worthy persons. These people not only feel worthy and dignified, but also behave this way. In this indicator of how people see themselves, we find the outliers and differences between people who good and bad pictures about themselves.
What can we do to help the children to develop a rich and positive image about themselves?
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It is possible to change the self-esteem of a children or adult may affect their self-esteem in both positive and negative way.
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Changes can take place slowly and over a longer period of tim , but keep the child in the sense of " I'm fine."
It is very important to create an appropriate environment and team atmosphere of mutual affection and care, and allow the child a sense of security. The child must also believe to a teacher, educator, parents and peers to be able to openly express their feelings. Must recognize himself/herself as desired. Without mutual trust, care and openness in relationships, child can not feel security. This is a prerequisite for enhancing positive self-image.
Adult must :
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Receive a children's answers without bias and evaluation
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Promote the view "you can do it" in terms of encouragement,
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Listen
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Being in all possible ways the child's friend
Children need to know where they are and what their current skills are. It is also important how to give to a child a feedback. Sympathetic feedback tells the child how a grown man experienced the thing that child did (enjoying your picture, I like the way you choose the colour, I like your sense of humor). Such information encourage child in learning relations, but also give the opportunity to completely relax and become such as it is.
What is self-esteem?
Child's self-esteem is mainly formed in the early years of his life. Children learn about the identitty of themselves from responses of parents on their behavior. In the first two years, when a small child learns confidence to their loved ones, his self-esteem builds exclusively on whether or not he/she feels accepted and loved. In later years, however, his self-esteem formes solely on the basis of how much control he/she takes in his/her life. Younger children use the responses of adults in assessing their attempts/efforts towards independence. Through the adoption of kindness or guilt they are beginning to define themselves as fit or failed one.
That is how young children learn self-respect. Responses of adults about his/her behavior tells him/her what is he like and what kind adults want. Given that, children assess the extent to which they have achieved their ideal.
Healthy self-esteem is one that realistically assess deficiencies, but is not critically damaging to them.
Characteristics of children who have healthy self-esteem:
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Tackling the new and challenging tasks with confidence
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Entrusting their own ideas
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Bravely face the criticisms
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Describe themselves positively
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Easily make friends
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They accept others' opinions
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Establish good eye contact