It is important for children to feel good about themselves. How a child feels about himself is crucial in determining how that child learns later in life. Parents are the first teachers, and for a child to learn well both in the early years and later in school, he needs self-esteem. YOU help this by encouraging children to study, rewarding children when they do well and giving children confidence to do better.

Children with high self-esteem are often leaders and achievers. They feel they have a place and purpose in the world, which helps them accept responsibility.

Helping children to understand themselves and their world is one way to raise their self-esteem. Children thrive when they get:

• Support from the people they care about
• A strong sense of their talents
• A clear idea of their own identity

When children get respect, they give respect. When they feel good about themselves, they feel good about others.

There are many things parents can do at home to build the self-esteem of their children. For example:

• Talk with your children and share their excitement about what they are reading, thinking and doing
• Hugs and smiles let your children know that you care
• Set a good example by giving respect to others, to schools and learning, and to yourself
• Help your children to have clear values that put family, learning and self-control first