Radio Commentary
There was a time when no one even
considered a child’s self-esteem. Shame and blame were acceptable forms of
child rearing and schooling. Feelings were never considered.
Then several studies showed that
children with higher self-esteem actually performed better. They were less
afraid to ask questions if they didn’t understand. They were less afraid to try
to tackle difficult problems.
They had more perseverance when
things went wrong. And they generally were more successful as a result of this.
Then the tables turned again.
Somehow efforts at building
self-esteem were blamed for low test scores. Building a child’s self-esteem
took a back seat to drilling the basics.
The truth is that self-esteem is
important, and those who have it still outperform those who don’t.
So here are some tips for parents
who want to help their children:
• Give your child responsibility. Encourage volunteerism. Doing good
makes one feel good.
• Develop a social network that
includes family, friends, school, and the community.
• Never humiliate your child. Try to use only
constructive criticism, emphasizing that no one is perfect and that everyone
can learn from mistakes.
And finally, let your love be unconditional, based
on the child’s worth, rather than on specific “successes.”
