Raising confident children – how to nurture self-respect
How parents can encourage their children to be their true self and to have strong self-respect
How parents can encourage their children to be their true self and to have strong self-respect
According to government figures and Beyond Blue, one in seven children between the ages of four and 17 experience a mental health condition in an average year – that’s around 560,000 young Australians.
Anxiety and depression are common mental health issues among young people and schools and families play an important role in helping them develop protective mechanisms so they are better prepared to face life’s challenges.
One protective mechanism is having a strong sense of self, which means young people knowing that it is OK to be themselves and to respect who they are.
“If you respect yourself, you can be your natural you. When you are comfortable in your skin, the best will come forward,” says Diane Furusho, Haileybury’s Deputy Principal (Student Wellbeing, Respectful Relationships & Consent).
Young people should be encouraged to feel positive about themselves and to accept themselves. Being kind to yourself and moving away from unhelpful self-criticism brings so many benefits.
Haileybury’s Student Code of Conduct places respecting yourself top of the list, followed by respecting the people around you and the School. The Code emphasises looking after physical and mental health and encourages young people to be proud of who they are and to strive to be the best version of themselves.
So how can parents encourage their children to be their true self and to have strong self-respect?
When children treat themselves with self-respect and compassion, they are naturally happier, more confident, take responsibility for their actions and have more resilience so they can more readily bounce back despite challenging circumstances.
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