Having high self-esteem means:

liking yourself and feeling good about the way you are

realising you're a worthwhile, competent and likeable person

having the confidence to try new challenges

feeling you can achieve the things you set out to do

not being afraid to keep on trying if you get things wrong or fail occasionally

feeling confident and optimistic about the future

Having low self-esteem can make life much more difficult. If you don't have the confidence to try new challenges or if you feel people don't like you, it can have devastating effects. Helping your children build the inner strength to cope with life's ups and downs as they grow is one of your most important tasks as a parent. So, it makes sense to do all you can to build your toddler's confidence.

Ways to build self-esteem

Toddlers are still just realising they're separate people. As your toddler grows and develops, he'll begin to learn who he is and will have more understanding about himself. Toddlers slowly build up a picture of themselves and a sense of self. This happens gradually as your toddler learns what he looks like and works out the things he can do. Some of the more difficult types of behaviour your toddler might display - which you may find hard to cope with - happen as a result of him beginning to realise he's a separate person with a mind of his own. He's also learnt he doesn't actually have to stay where you've put him or do exactly as he's told. To begin with, a toddler's view of himself is still very much a reflection of what other people seem to think of him. Therefore, it's important for his developing self-esteem that he's exposed to mainly positive views.

This means:

Telling your toddler, as often as possible, that you love him and that he's marvellous, wonderful and fun to be with.

Letting your toddler know you love him by showing affection with lots of hugs, kisses and kind words.

Never say things such as "You're so stupid" or "I'd wish you'd never been born!"

Nothing is more damaging to your toddler's developing self-esteem than a message from you that he's not loved, liked or wanted. It's important not to use sarcastic, unkind words or a harsh tone of voice when speaking with him. He'll believe what you tell him and if your message is that he's irritating, it'll have a negative impact on his self-esteem. If you're feeling angry, never say things such as "You're so stupid" or "I'd wish you'd never been born!"

Remember:

Show love - tell your child, as often as possible, that you love him. Show affection every day.

Chat - talking together gives the message that you enjoy your child's company.

Listen - show your child you find him interesting and worth listening to.

Play - join in your toddler's games or if you have household chores to do, ask him to help. Including your child shows you enjoy spending time with him.

Praise - not just for succeeding, but for efforts and attempts too. Even if your child doesn't manage to do exactly what he set out to do, saying things such as "That was a really great try" will encourage him to have another go.

Encourage - managing buttons or putting on his own clothes gives a great boost to self-esteem. Take it slowly so your toddler feels proud of what he's managed to achieve, and be ready to step in if he gets into difficulties and gets too frustrated. But don't solve every problem - help him feel he can manage.

Provide choices - help your toddler feel he can exert some control over the world. You might ask your child to choose his own clothes or offer a choice of shoes, for example.

Stay one step ahead - try to avert disasters that can lead to loss of confidence, tempers and tears. Be aware that the over-confidence shown by some toddlers can falter quite quickly if they constantly fail at all the things they try. You need to be ready to distract your toddler from anything too complicated, helping to prevent too many upsets.

Emphasise good points - concentrate on the positives and try to ignore any annoying behaviour as much as possible.

Provide plenty of activities - trying out lots of things makes it more likely you'll find something your child is good at, even if there are lots of other things he can't manage so well yet. Some children are great swimmers, for example, while others solve problems easily.

Encourage friendships - being able to make friends and get on with others plays a big role in building self-esteem. Take an interest and, if possible, invite your child's friends round to play.

Celebrate family life - morning chats in bed or particular ways of saying goodnight not only celebrate family life, but also help your child understand that he has a special place within it.