Self-Esteem and Confidence in Children - Essay Example

Self-Esteem and Confidence in Children 0-2 and 4-5 Many people think that babies are too young to understand when people talk to them but there have been studies that show how babies react to life in general. In some generations, babies were seen more different than adults for obvious reasons, but today experts are acknowledging that children should be treated as "people" right from their beginning. This allows children to develop in a more natural way. For babies, everything in their environment is going to influence their self-esteem. As children continue to develop, many will be affected by their environment and by the way that they perceive their environment to be when they are interacting with it. Babies 0-2 It is a common myth among most parents that babies are not able to understand what is going on around them. Many people still use baby talk with babies because they think it is cute and it is effective. In reality, a baby is already interacting with their environment and they are expressing emotions and asking that their needs are met. It is up to parents to interpret these emotions and needs so that they can encourage their babys development. General ways that children develop strong self-esteem is if they are treated well as babies. Babies are capable of feeling sensations and they are already developing emotions. Because of this, it is important for parents to always touch, cuddle, smile and talk lovingly to their babies. This will help the child feel secure and safe. Babies already communicate and they are able to interact with facial expressions and noises. This would indicate that it would be a good idea to always make sure that you are smiling at the baby and that their environment is free of sudden noises. According to the textbook: … the development of babies’ personalities comes from the way in which people react to and interpret very common baby behaviors, and also from what the babies are like as individuals and the way in which these characteristics are reinforced (or not) by babies’ families and the world around them (24). This means that a babys personality is part of how their self-esteem also grows. Within this process, the self-esteem for the child becomes more open or it shuts down. When a parent is quick to yell at their baby or shake them, this can make a baby unsettled and therefore affect their self-esteem in a negative way. When a child is not treated well in their first years, it will end with them feeling insecure as they get older. They may also have separation anxiety if the primary caregiver has to leave them for any amount of time. What is wanted is to make sure that the baby is happy, that their needs are met and that they always feel secure and loved. These are the things that will make sure that a baby is having experiences that will help them develop a strong self-esteem. All of these activities can help a child become strong in self-esteem and confident. Children need a loving environment all the time but the first few years will establish a foundation for how children develop into their teens. As they move into their first two years, they will need to explore their environment and they also need a strong attachment. Many times their first attachment is to their primary caregiver but this is not always the case; sometimes, other family members will be who child bonds with and builds the strong attachment (42-43). It is still important as a child moves into ages one and two to create a safe environment for them. Doing things like making sure that their needs are met quickly, letting them sleep when they are tired, giving them lots of attention and being predictable will create a strong bond (47). This helps the child understand that the caregiver or caregivers are reliable and that the child can depend on them. Children who are two years old are often able to begin talking and saying a few or more words. As they start doing this, it is important for people in their environment to listen to what they child is saying and to pay attention to them. This is the time to start positively disciplining them with time outs instead of spankings so that they will continue to feel secure. When a child is given love and warmth, when they are told about their behavior and encouraged to present better behavior and when a parent models the behavior they want, the child will respond (68). Spanking sometimes encourages the child to continue to misbehave and they may not always understand that the parent still loves them; this can be damaging to the self-esteem and does not promote confidence. When a child is one and two it is also important to make sure they understand they are loved. This will create a stronger bond and it will also help them have the confidence that they can explore their environment without harm. Children at two years old should also be given some responsibility that can be tracked so that they can understand that they have contributed to themselves or to others in some way. As an example, a small child can be taught to pick up their toys and put them into a hamper. When this happens, a start chart can be used to record their progress. This will help them continue to pick up their toys if they get something as a reward at the end of a certain amount of time (71). This can be a good way to help the child feel proud of themselves and in turn it will build confidence that they can do certain tasks. When a child wants to "help mommy" in some way, it is a good idea to give them something they can do to help. This will make them feel good and again, it builds on their self-esteem and confidence. Children 4-5 If parents have given children a strong foundation for self-esteem and confidence, it should not be difficult for them when they get to school age. When they are young, making sure that they have other children to play with will get them started on the road towards pre-school. The more positive socialization they have, the more they will be confident in themselves and they will interact well. By the time they enter preschool, their personalities have already begun to develop and they are able to do certain things that will help them in school. As an example, many children have already learned their alphabet and they have learned how to share with other children. Most preschools will require children to be potty trained and to show that they can get along well with other children. A well rounded child who enters school will be able to separate from their carer and accept other people as part of their care giving network. The table on page 87 gives a breakdown of what children at this age are able to do. I would think that they are able to do these things because they have a solid foundation of love given to them by their primary caregivers. When looking at the "measurable abilities" these things can be a way to use star charts and to give children the confidence that they have some control over their environment. When starting school, children have a tendency to feel left out if they are not encouraged to get involved with other children early. Their confidence will be built when they are able to be successful with other children in play and through interaction in the classroom. As children are older and going to school there may be some situations that could be damaging to their self-esteem or confidence if they are not handled appropriately. As an example, different cultures have different rules and some cultures are taught to be more obedient as others. In those cultures that are more obedient, the child is taught to speak when they are spoken to and may have to ask to do certain things. Many American children are not taught to have to ask to go to the bathroom or to do certain activities. These are examples of conformity and school is often a place where children will have to conform to what is happening or they may face consequences. A child can be seen as "undisciplined" by the teacher but it may be that the child is just not used to being told what to do in everything they do. Teachers must take this into consideration so that they can find creative ways to teach children the rules without damaging their self-esteem. School may be difficult also if a child has not gone to the bathroom in front of other children before; this could mean that they feel self-conscious instead of confident in front of the individual children. This is where care givers are important because they can explain to the child that this is needed and they can help them understand what they are supposed to do when they begin school. Children will also have to be more independent in school when it comes to taking care of themselves. It is important for parents to help children at home, but to also encourage them to do some things on their own. As an example, if a child cannot tie shoes, they can learn a different type of way to manage their shoes by getting buckles or Velcro strips. These methods make them independent and have them rely on themselves for assistance. Shoes can be bought to help the child do well. It is very important to give children what they need ahead of time so that once they get into school; they already have a strong bit of confidence and self-esteem to carry them through. Read More