How can I help if my child has low self-esteem?

Everyone has times when they feel good about themselves, and times when they feel less good. Self-esteem plays an important part in being able to see ourselves in a positive light, more of the time.

If your child seems to feel less good about themselves, it doesn’t mean you’re doing something wrong as a parent. The important thing to remember is that you can support them to feel more positive.

• Spending time together is a simple way to remind your child you love and value them as they are. This could be something like playing games or watching TV.
• See if they’re happy to tell you how things are going in their lives. You may have noticed them saying negative things about themselves. Ask why they feel that way.
• How we think affects how we feel. Get them to try spotting their negative thoughts and challenging if these are true.

You can also try taking some time with them to understand how social media affects self-esteem. Or help them start a diary to spot when things go well.

Helping your child build positive self-esteem may take a little time. Be gentle, but keep supporting them.