How to Identify Children with High and Low Self-Esteem Children with high self esteem...... Are willing to try new things Have faith in their own abilities Are willing to make decisions Are willing take risks Are independent Feel confident Have leadership qualities Children with low self-esteem...... Feel unacceptable, incompetent and unlikeable Are fearful of new interactions and new situations Are shy or overly aggressive Lack faith in their own abilities Can be dependent on adults to do things for them Lack autonomy Can be immature Follower Some Common Effects of Low Self-Esteem: Lack of self-confidence- children have little confidence in their abilities. Poor performance- lack of self confidence may result in making little or no effort toward realizing projects or goals. Distorted view of self and others- children won't give themselves credit for their accomplishments. They may think others look better in comparison. They may also believe that things just happen to them-they don't make them happen. Unhappy personal life- negative people aren't fun to be around. Children with low self-esteem find it hard to develop close relationships. Some Factors that Influence Your Self-Esteem Relationships with your parents, grandparents, brothers, sisters, etc... -experiences with family from birth right up to present. Relationships with childhood friends, and neighbours-- experiences with clubs, sports, teams and hobbies. Relationships with classmates, teachers, administrators and counsellors-- experiences with schoolwork, extracurricular activities, sports, discipline, etc... Relationships with members of different cultures, races and religions- experiences with standards and images created by others (i.e. the media). In general- positive experiences and fulfilling relationships help raise self-esteem. Negative experiences and troubled relationships tend to lower self-esteem. No single event or person can determine your level of self-esteem. It develops over time, constantly changing with experience. Back to Workshops & Seminars Back to Family Support Network ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Susan Lieberman is in private practice in North York as a family therapist and public speaker. For more information, Call: (416) 512-6356. or Email: susanl@familysupport.net