Self-esteem is a crucial aspect of your son’s overall wellbeing and growth. Good self-esteem helps him to feel accepted, be proud of what he can do and have more confidence in himself. When your son has good self-esteem, he will be more willing to try out new things, give his best in everything he does and respond to his mistakes in a healthier way.
Here is how to build self-esteem in boys:
Listen to him
It’s essential that your son knows he has someone he can trust and talk to whenever he needs to express his feelings or opinions. As a parent, you become a refuge for your son whenever he needs to share his thoughts. Raising Children explains that when you actively listen to your son, he will feel more accepted, as his thoughts are validated, which in turn improves his self-esteem.
Encourage your son to express his emotions
Society has long thought of expressing emotions as a sign of weakness, especially among males, hence the well-known phrase ‘big boys don’t cry.’ However, displaying emotions like crying is a healthy human experience that allows your son to improve his resilience. Displays of appropriate emotion are essential to developing self-esteem, because it helps your son to understand what he feels.
Spend more time with him
One of the best ways to build self-esteem in your son is by spending more time with him. Essential Kids recommends doing one-on-one activities with your son to help him develop a sense of belonging and acceptance. Even mundane, everyday activities such as eating, playing games and doing homework together can help build resilience against social anxiety.
Learn when to step back
As a parent, It’s important to learn when to let your son take risks, make choices and solve problems on his own. Taking a step back creates space for your son to function independently and improves his self-esteem. By allowing your son to take responsibility and see those responsibilities through, you can encourage his self-confidence.
Nurture his strengths
When you encourage, you instil courage. Encourage your son to try out different activities so that he can find out where his interests lie and what he is good at. Helping your son actively find out what he likes to do empowers him to understand himself better.
It’s important for your son to feel good about himself, to inspire a more positive outlook in life, helping him function as a better member of society. There are many ways to help him gain self-esteem, and if you guide him patiently, you will be able to improve his overall wellbeing.
At Christ Church Grammar School, we support boys through their emotional development to build social and emotional competency for greater wellbeing and school performance.
