Self-esteem, A Key Factor In Your Child's Success

As parents, we need to help our children set an internal structure or framework upon which they can set their dreams on. Just like there is a bone structure which determines the height in the human body and holds the body together, that is how important the internal structure is to one’s dreams.

This means as the bones are the real structure of the body and if anything happens to them the flesh will collapse, the same way the internal structure holds up the events of your life and it is not visible.

What we see on the outside are the clothes that are placed upon that structure. What we need to do is to build up the right internal structure and the outcome will turn out good as a result of the right foundation that was laid.

Self-esteem can have a big part to play in how you feel about yourself and also how much you enjoy things or worry about things. This is a key factor in long-term success as individuals. The most important thing to know about self-esteem is that it means seeing yourself in a positive way that's realistic. All kids have self-esteem, and having healthy or positive self-esteem is really important. It can help you hold your head high and feel proud of yourself and what you can do, even when things don't seem to be going so well.



Self-esteem gives you the courage to try new things and the power to believe in yourself. It lets you respect yourself, even when you make mistakes. And when you respect yourself, adults and other kids usually respect you, too.

Sometimes a child will have low self-esteem and so many things can contribute to this. For some kids, classes at school can seem so hard that they can't keep up or get the grades they'd hoped for. This can make them feel bad about themselves and hurt their self-esteem. When some kids do well and win prizes and awards, other kids might feel like they’re not as good or there's something wrong with them. If a kid moves and doesn't make friends right away at the new school, he or she might start to feel bad. Kids whose parents divorce might find that this can affect self-esteem also.

Having positive self-esteem can help them learn to make healthy choices about their entire lives especially in the face of peer pressure. If you think you're important, you'll be less likely to follow the crowd if your friends are doing something wrong or dangerous. If they have positive self-esteem, they know they're smart enough to make their own decisions. They value their safety, feelings, health etc. Positive self-esteem helps them know that every part of them is worth caring for and protecting

Help your their internal dialogue.Your internal dialogue is the continuous conversation that you have with yourself about everything that happens to you. Your child may be saying to herself: "I'm not intelligent enough," "I wish we had that" "i'm not talented like her" and this shapes self-concept. I know that faith comes by hearing and the entrance of the word bringeth light. To combat this, we need to influence that dialogue so that our children are telling themselves the right things. They should adopt an internal dialogue that says, "I'm going to accept myself. I'm going to raise the bar of what i expect of myself at home, at school, at church, everywhere" Changing their internal dialogue can help your child behave their way to success.

Let's recognize that as parents we are life coaches and it is our responsibility to mold our children and help them build positive self esteem. Psalm 127:4 says like arrows in the hands of a warrior are sons born in one's youth. Lets aim them towards reaching their highest potential.

Ijeoma Olujekun