Check Your Language

1. Be mindful of the language you use to describe your children. Do not label them with words such as 'lazy', 'naughty', 'aggressive' or 'mean'. Instead, look for and point out your child's strengths.

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2. Provide them with opportunities for success. Give your child age-appropriate tasks she can complete on her own. Having done so will give her a sense of pride and help build a "can do" mentality.

3. Show your children that you have faith in their goodness and in their abilities. This is a matter of language choice. For example, if your toddler, out of frustration, hits another child, you might say, "You naughty girl! How can you be so mean! I can't believe you hit him! You're in big trouble!" Or, you could say, "You got frustrated and hit him. It's not ok to hit. I know you didn't mean to hurt him. How can you express your frustration in different ways?"

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4. Spend time together. A vital part of having a healthy self-concept is feeling loved and valued. Spend this time doing something fun and enjoyable for both of you, and avoid criticisms or lectures during this quality time.

5. Support your child's interests. Learn what your child is interested in and support him in mastering that skill or accomplishing his desired level of achievement. Feeling competent and good at something grows a positive self-concept.

More tips for nurturing your child's self-concept on page 3...