Once we become parents, we yearn and wish for our children to be happy, to grow up feeling that they are valuable people, self-confident and with good self-esteem. All these pillars that are central to the development of every boy and girl will be built on the basis of a solid attachment bond.
This means a relationship where love, security and protection prevail; where the attachment figures (father, mother or caregiver) respond in harmony and consistently to the physical and emotional needs of their child. In this sense, our way of acting and accompanying each new step and challenge presented to them in their development will play a relevant role when it comes to cultivating the development of the child's confidence and self-esteem.
It is important to keep in mind that, based on the bond that he builds with his attachment figures, the child will create an image of the world around him. If the child lives in an environment where his caregivers worry about his health and/or safety all day, or else solve everything for him, the message they will convey is that the world is a dangerous place and that he does not belong all capable of facing life on their own.
When we overprotect our children, we are not providing the opportunities that life gives them to explore the world around them and develop the autonomy they need for their development. This overprotection causes children to develop a certain dependency on others, to show insecurity and with little initiative to face new challenges.
Children need the accompaniment and help of their caregivers, but it is essential to understand that, as they grow and explore their environment, they need to develop both the confidence and the autonomy necessary to gradually encourage themselves to do things for themselves, from wanting to dressing and tying their own shoelaces until they are faced with a challenge and achieve it.
So what can we do as adults to strengthen our children's confidence and self-esteem? Some of the strategies that we can put into practice are:
One of the best gifts we can give our children is to trust them. When we provide the spaces and opportunities for them to "prove" themselves and realize that they are capable, the message that we will transmit to them will be: "you can do it, you are capable."
