Helpful Hints

Character Boosters

Character education is all about the heart of learning.  From confidence and respect to security and happiness, your child’s self-esteem will ultimately determine his/her outlook on life.

To help you play a greater role in building your child’s self-esteem, the Rainbow District School Board has developed Character Boosters.  The following tips are designed to help you nurture your child into a proud, positive and caring human being.

Tip #1 – If You Believe They Can, They Will
Before working on your child’s self-esteem, you must first examine your own.  Parents have a great deal of influence over the self-esteem of their child.  The more positive you are, the more positive your child will be.  Strive to be positive and your child will have a great example to follow. 

Tip #2 – Communication is the Key
If your children need to talk, listen.  Parents often forget that, much like adults, children need to express their feelings, whether it’s through verbal cues or body language.  Communicating with your child will allow you to gain a better understanding of his/her feelings.  Once you identify with your child, you will be well on your way towards boosting his/her self-esteem.

Tip #3 – Words of Encouragement
You can do it, you’re almost there, great job, are examples of what every child needs to hear.  By acknowledging efforts, your child’s self-esteem will grow as he/she begins to feel appreciated.  While encouragement is effective, parents should not confuse encouragement with praise.  Remember: encouragement rewards the effort whereas praise rewards the person.

Tip #4 – Details, Details and More Details
Try to be specific when rewarding your child for efforts well done.  Children like to know when they have succeeded, so why not give them the details.  For instance, rather than saying Wow!  What a beautiful painting, say I love all the colours you used in your painting.

Tip #5 – Co-operation vs. Competition
Whenever possible, try to encourage your child to take part in activities that promote co-operation.  From group building projects to family colouring activities, the youth of today should take a break from competitive games and sports.  Simple and easy to coordinate, co-operative activities will help foster your child’s self-esteem while promoting teamwork.

FROM OUR DICTIONARY

While the term self-esteem may seem straightforward, it is often confused with similar vocabulary, including self-confidence, self-reliance and self-perception.  To help clarify, we came up with our own definitions….

Self-esteem:

• A feeling of pride in oneself
• Positive personal beliefs
• Our emotional image
• Knowing that one is valuable and capable

FIVE MINUTE BOOSTERS

You can help your child boost his/her self-esteem by simply:

• Informing your child about your family heritage and culture.
• Giving your child daily responsibilities that he/she will value.
• Providing your child with opportunities to learn in the form of success and failure.
• Allowing your child to provide input when it comes to family decision-making.
• Teaching and encouraging your child to set goals inside and outside of the classroom.
• Demonstrating your love through affection and discipline.