Whenever he has a shirt and tie on, his demeanor changes, as does his behavior. What I've also discovered is that his self-esteem is heightened, not just because he's dressed like dad, but also because he feels more mature. Therefore, he acts more mature.
We live in a society where appearances and first impressions are everything. And so when raising a child, it's important that they learn to take pride in how they look. Experts say it's one of the first steps in developing a healthy self-esteem. It's something that actually develops while the child is young - maybe as young as 2-years-old.
A child therapist told me a long time ago that children at one time or another will show some symptoms of low self-esteem, and that it's important to watch out for patterns that don't seem to disappear with time.
So while watching and observing my own youngster, I've managed to pick up some helpful ideas that helps him feel better about himself - like allowing him to wear as shirt and tie when he wants to.
By the way, here's some encouraging things to say to your youngster that I found helps to elevate self-esteem:
1. You're doing a great job!
2. You make it look easy.
3. You're getting better every day.
4. Way to go!
Give it a try.
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