It is really important that children respect themselves, understand their worth and deserve positive treatment from others. If they don’t, they will attract the wrong type of friends for themselves and will be treated in a way that they don’t desire or deserve. They will show signs of low self-esteem to the people around them and maybe even have low confidence.
All children need to respect their actions and the actions of others towards them. They must have boundaries in place when it comes to how they want to be treated. The importance of self-respect is something children and parents should acknowledge.
If your children are finding it hard to cultivate and maintain this self-respect, here are a few discussion points you can discuss with them:
Cultivating Self-Respect
Know Their Worth: Children should understand that they deserve to be treated with kindness, dignity and respect by others.
Set Boundaries: Teach your children to establish boundaries for themselves. They should know what behaviour is acceptable and unacceptable from others and should be able to communicate these boundaries confidently.
Stand Firm In Their Values: Encourage your children to hold onto their beliefs and values. They should not compromise these to please others or gain acceptance.
Assertive Communication: Teach your children to express themselves assertively whilst respecting the rights of others. They should communicate clearly and confidently without being aggressive or passive.
Why Self-Respect is Important for Healthy Relationships
Recognize Red Flags: Help your children identify signs of disrespectful behaviour from others, such as bullying, manipulation, or coercion. Encourage them to trust their instincts and seek support if they feel uncomfortable or threatened.
Walk Away When Necessary: Empower your children to walk away from situations or relationships that compromise their self-respect. They should understand that it’s okay to remove themselves from toxic environments or interactions.
Value Time And Energy: Teach your children to prioritise relationships and activities that bring positivity into their lives. They should learn to invest their time and energy in people who reciprocate respect and kindness.
Self-Care: Encourage your children to prioritise self-care and well-being. Taking care of themselves physically, mentally, and emotionally reinforces their sense of self-worth and strengthens their resilience against negativity.
If you need help with raising your child’s self-respect, check out my ebook below. You can also find tips in my parenting book, The Parent’s
Toolkit.
Read all blogs on Children & Self-Esteem
50 WAYS TO BOOST THE SELF-ESTEEM OF YOUR CHILD
Not all children have healthy self-esteem and often will need help seeing the world in a more positive light. This eBook gives you lots of ideas to raise the self-esteem of your child – some are common sense and others are more unusual.
Cost per download: £1.50
