Middle Childhood: Self-Esteem

Self esteem may increase when parents

make children feel loved, show respect for and involvement with their interests, help them think about things they’ve experienced, and help them understand how they feel about those events than by any kind of praise.

Children at this age receive many forms of feedback that are

more goal directed and less inflated

Research shown that spending 5-10 minutes a day of individual quality time PER child has

numerous social-emotional benefits

In middle childhood children do what some call "co-regulate"

parent exercises oversight, while children enjoy autonomy of making day to day decisions and experiencing related emotions

Respect child and foster independence

give responsibilities, choices

Eriksons 4th psychosocial stage

Industry versus Inferiority

They instead may develop a sense of ‘inferiority , as a

self evaluation and relative to their peers

Children’s relationships with parents and teachers are important in

the development of industry vs inferiority

Contrastingly, a child who does not develop a sense of “industry” may

view themselves as incapable or unable to accomplish.

Children with a sense of industry may tell themselves

that if they work hard, use their knowledge and skills, they can be productive.

Children with a sense of industry are

curious and interested in how things are made, understanding facts , and acquiring skills including academic skills.

Acknowledge and validate

Focus on the process and not the outcome

Acknowledge and validate Feelings of frustration or low self-worth

Set realistic goals

Do NOT overly deny and/ or praise. Be realistic to the situation.

Demonstrate success

Set up opportunities for child success. Allow opportunities for child to demonstrate what they have learned, remind child of prior successes or “anchors”

Independence and autonomy

Respect child and foster independence – give responsibilities, choices.

Belongingness

Create environments that lead children to be aware of and embrace their unique

Parents should invest in

their relationship with their child

Meaningful, consistent and accurate praise and support help with

development of coping mechanisms, resiliency in times of stress, fosters independence and positive self-worth

Compliment and support process over

outcome

In school-age confidence in own abilities

wavers and often declines initially.

Self-esteem is also referred to as

self-worth or self-image

Self esteem:

how you FEEL about your self-concept / attributes