Have you ever thought in deep about the word ‘self- image’? It can be defined as the perception one is having about oneself. It can be positive or negative. Experiences during childhood can have an impact on developing a healthy self- image. In this aspect, we, as teachers and parents have a lot to do in developing a strong self- image in children.
Many reasons can obstruct the development of a healthy self- image. Bullying can be one. When a child is bullied, he will feel like he is the lowest of the low. He will plunge in to the abysses of self- doubts, doubting his worth as a human being. This is why bullying is very dangerous as it could create deep wounds inside the psyche. It would cause the child to ask questions repeatedly putting him in the quagmire of uncertainty. Any sort of other child hood traumas too can be seen as dangerous.
This blog intends to help children by mentioning and suggesting some of the ways to develop a healthy self- image.
Motivating them by offering support
What do you mean by motivation? It is the catalyst for moving forward. Every human being needs a positive force to move forward. We call it in many names such as ‘dreams’, ‘aspirations’, and ‘ambitions’. It is the prime moving force in the life of a human being. For example, an athlete becomes a top level athlete by dreaming, aspiring and practicing rigorously for it. A musician would aim at the stars, and he would channelize all of his intellectual energies to that one fixed point.
In the case of children, we should identify the areas of strengths, and motivate them by supporting them. We can support them by telling stories about hard working people, and also by stand by them. The child should feel like he is not alone. We can also use the story telling method (Telling stories about successful people) as most of the children love stories.
Making them read books
Books can be helpful here. During their formative years, children mostly learn the unwritten rules of socialization through a psychological process named’ mirroring’. They observe the elders and learn about their surroundings. . As books are sprinkled with a plethora of characters from a wide range of eras, reading them will boost the intellectual development of children and aid their growth as healthy human beings. We should inculcate some habits in children, such as newspaper reading, as daily reading newspapers will help children to know more about the world.
- Engage them in sports activities
This is also a very good idea. When children engage in sports activities, they will feel energized and feel a sudden surge of confidence. When they play and win, they will feel happy. It will help their physical growth as well.
- Engage them in intellectual activities
For example, take the game of chess. When a child plays it and wins, he will feel like he is capable of doing seemingly impossible things. Children who are interested in such activities such as spelling bee, should be encouraged and supported. If they like to write, paint or sing too, we should offer our support.
Children are the beacon lights of tomorrow. As their guardians it is our duty to help them in reaching the pinnacles of success.
