Raising confident, happy humans would be much easier if they could just take it from us that they are wonderful and kind and smart and capable. But, if there is one parenting truism that proves itself time and time again, it is that children will never listen to what you say, but they will always watch what you do. And so, like all aspects of parenting, fostering a solid foundation of self-esteem for our children is a full-immersion job, requiring us to listen and model and be mindful of all the little things that shape our children’s perception of themselves.
“I can’t stress this enough,” says Dr. Sue Varma, a psychiatrist and clinical assistant professor of psychiatry at NYU Langone Health. “Having a healthy sense of self-worth is paramount to a child’s mental health outcomes.” How do parents help foster that healthy sense of self-worth? Especially in this challenging digital age where children are exposed to highlight reels and stories of seemingly flawless people. How do we help them recognize this is not real-life? How do we help them avoid the comparison trap? How do we help them focus on their unique attributes rather than internalize all the ways they think they might not measure up? All these questions and more are answered in the summer issue of MASK The Magazine Self-Esteem: The Balance of Internal and External Self-Worth.
Parents and caregivers will find an age-appropriate guide on helping children develop a healthy sense of self. We often think of self-esteem as confidence, but it’s more than that. Self-esteem is an essential part of emotional resilience. “When thinking about self-esteem as a resiliency factor, we are saying that people with a healthy self-esteem are able to tolerate distress, bounce back from negative experiences, and be adaptable and flexible,” says Dr. Shefali Gandhi, a licensed psychologist in Scottsdale, Arizona. “Children with high self-esteem tend to take healthy risks, are not afraid of trying new things, and tend to experience positive social interactions.”
Additionally, this issue of MASK explores the signs of low self-esteem and how to take advantage of your community of support to advocate for the child and bolster his emotional health. Additionally readers will learn the importance of imperfection and letting kids learn by doing.
MASK takes pride in keeping you up to date with current need-to-know tips on health, prevention and connection. Check out this quarterly advice as well as MASK’s “A List” of family friendly must-have items. Don’t forget to make sure to reboot, reconnect and have some family fun this summer. Before you make those summer plans be sure to read MASK’s “Behind the Wheel ” section, highlighting Airstream Adventures that offer a roadmap to family connection. As well as the “On the Road” section, featuring iconic Coney Island and all this historic American hot spot has to offer.
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