Self Esteem ---- A Tough Subject for our Students

our own self worth and respect is what life is all about. Our teens feel the same way but often do not express it in a way that we can understand. Developing self respect is what helps reach the level of happiness and success of children and teenagers. Self esteem is how one feels about their self. When one does not feel well with their self it shows in behavior, just like when one feels well with their self that too shows up in behavior.

The goal of parents is to help our teens develop a self esteem that will help them through life. One that will allow them to make decisions of their own and act independently. Raising our children where they take pride in the accomplishments that they take responsibility for is something we all want to see. Life is hard at times and frustration is something that happens often, when our teens can tolerate a bit of frustration and find a way out of the circumstances that they find their selves in then we as parents can take pride in that. Our children with high self esteem are able to handle both positive emotions with a few negative remarks as well.

Children who suffer with low self esteem will often try to avoid new things as they often feel unloved and unwanted. They seem to think nothing is their own fault but that others caused the problems they see. Teens with low self esteem are often unable to tolerate a normal level of frustration. Often these teens do not put faith in their own talents and abilities and are often influenced by others

There are a few things that you can do to help raise your teens self esteem and make them feel better about their selves. Start by encouraging your teen to explore his or her interests by joining clubs and organizations that will provide consistent opportunities for self expression. Activities that our teens are interested in can be outlets for stress and anxiety relief as well as build their confidence. In addition, participating in activities and groups can help our teens make new friends. They may also start making wise decisions as well as offer a sense of belonging.

As your teen starts to demonstrate changes make sure that you notice and tell them how well they are doing. Teens who grow comfortably into their own confidence and self esteem will be able  to handle more challenges in their lives. As parents we must be ready to help our teens to help their selves. There are a few things you can do to see how well they are doing, start by:

• push their curfew back by 1/2 hour or more
• allow them to drive somewhere when old enough to have their license. 

Showing your teen that you are confident that they can do the right thing allows them to be more confident in their own ability to make the right decisions

Rejection and failure are two things that often can not be avoided. Parents can help prepare their children to handle adversity by letting them know not to take rejections seriously. There is none of us perfect and failure is a fact of life, its gonna happen. Let your teen know that while they may have failed they did try and for that you are proud of them for. When ever possible help your teen to keep an open mind, when things do not go as planned help them have a plan b. Remind them that we are always open to talk when they need someone to vent to.