Young children are emotionally affected by their
performance in school. If they don't learn to read, write, or count as fast as
their friends do, they sense that something's wrong, and they often blame
themselves for their academic struggles. Older kids with learning disabilities
may act as though it's cool to not care about school. Beneath the surface,
these kids are often just tired of trying and struggling to keep up. If your
child has recently been diagnosed with a learning disability, you may be
wondering what you do to help bolster his or her self-esteem.
Here are some
strategies you can try out to help your child develop a healthy sense of
self-worth:
Spend time doing things your child has a natural
aptitude for
Maybe your child is good at drawing or making
buildings out of LEGOs. Or perhaps your child is a talented soccer player or
pianist. Whatever your child's talent is, make sure you give him or her time at
home to cultivate that talent. Feeling skilled at something will help your
child realize that he or she is smart and capable. Once your child realizes
just how intelligent he or she actually is, the sky will be the limit in terms
of what can be achieved, despite the difficulties that a learning disability
presents.
Watch
your reactions
If your child has ADHD or some other learning
disability that affects his or her behavior, it's important to be aware of how
you react to your child. If you find yourself becoming frustrated with your son
or daughter, take a second to take a few deep breaths and figure out how to
redirect your child without seeming cross. Your disapproval can affect your
child's self-esteem. As much as possible, you should try to provide
encouragement and praise to your child. If you want to try to eradicate
behavior patterns that are limiting your child's academic and personal
progress, it's best that you find ways to gently guide him or her to develop
healthier, more effective habits.
Ask
for support from specialists
If you find that your child's self-esteem is
markedly low, it may be best to ask for some support from specialists. Talk to
your child's doctor and psychologist about additional things you can do to
boost your son or daughter's self-esteem at home. You may also want to arrange
for your child to meet with a counselor regularly, especially if your insurance
allows for it. A counselor will be able to help your child effectively deal
with self-confidence issues and develop a plan to cope with any negative
feelings he or she has. Depending on your child's learning disability, you may
also want to arrange regular meetings with an appropriate specialist to
facilitate academic progress. The more help your child has to succeed in school
and develop a healthy sense of self-esteem, the better.
Being a kid is tough, and being a kid with a
learning disability can often be even tougher. So, do what you can to build
your child's self-esteem at home, ask for help from experts, and always provide
your son or daughter with as much love and encouragement as possible.
Susan is a guest blogger who primarily writes about
lifestyle, health, and parenting. After years of working in the insurance
industry, she's in the process of putting together an insurance quote guide in hopes of
helping people navigate the convoluted world of insurance. Susan welcomes your
comments and questions.
