Often a parent will call me to talk about their child’s low self-esteem and how they’d like my help. We book a session for me to see if their child does have low self-esteem or whether something else is going on. Once we get into the coaching session, and the child and I have talked, I often realise that actually, they are doing okay. Their self-esteem is intact and they see themselves in a positive light and feel good about who they are.
So it is not the child’s self-esteem that’s the issue and it is something else that needs to be addressed. It can be very worrying for parents who think that their child has low self-esteem. If you aren’t sure, here are some signs to look out for.
Knowing The Signs Of Low Self-esteem
- Being disengaged from life
- Having a critical attitude in general
- Saying negative things about themselves
- Worrying about failing or making mistakes
- Saying ‘I don’t know’ or ‘I’m not sure’ a lot
- Being self-critical and putting themselves down
These are just a few signs of low self-esteem in children. It is worth checking in and noticing what is going on with your child to establish whether self-esteem is the problem or something else. If your child’s self-esteem is an issue, get the wheels in motion to improve it by reading The Parent’s Toolkit: Simple and Effective Ways to Help Your Child Be Their Best. This book has lots of ideas for boosting self-esteem. Give them a try and, if your child is still struggling, do get in touch as I’m always open to chatting to parents on the phone.
The Parent’s ToolKit
I wrote this book for parents to help their children successfully navigate childhood problems and grow into happy, confident and resilient young adults. It includes teaching children positive self-talk, simple problem-solving techniques, challenging negative thoughts, how to make and keep friends, how to raise self-esteem etc., and gives parents specific advice on how to hone their own listening and coaching skills.
