Building Self Esteem in Your Preschooler

Virtually any preschool in Boston offers curriculum that includes activities involving creation of something. Common examples could be art projects, science experiments, "writing" a story or building a structure. Beyond the initial task, these works serve many more purposes.

This type of activity within your child's Boston preschool program is an important part of the learning process. It also helps develop school readiness and builds self esteem. The importance of helping students feel pride in their work and themselves should not be overlooked.

Tips for building self esteem

The most effective way to build self esteem in preschoolers is to set and recognize realistic goals. Reaching these goals is a concrete way preschoolers can develop feelings of pride and accomplishment. On the other hand, valuing perfect performance over effort or creativity, can be a source of frustration and actually lower self-esteem. Family and parents are the most important people in a young child's life. How they view projects from their child's Boston preschool program is important to the development of self esteem.

* Show interest in your preschooler's work - When children return from their Boston preschool program, it's a great idea for parents to invite their kids to show the day's project and describe the process of creating it. A parent's interest in schoolwork helps children to also place value on their efforts.

* Focus on their effort - By focusing on effort, parents convey that creativity and imagination are more important than making a 'perfect' project. For example, asking children to describe the work they did at preschool in Boston and how they feel about it, rather than noting whether or not they stayed within the lines builds self esteem.

* Share your preschooler's pride - The importance of a parent's attention is critical in building self esteem. Actively showing pride in work your child creates in their Boston preschool program is priceless. Parents can display projects from their child's Boston preschool throughout the home, for example, or share digital copies with relatives living elsewhere.

Children follow their parent's example when it comes to placing value. When parents show that effort, imagination and hard work are important, children learn that their work at preschool in Boston matters. In turn, they come to take pride in their efforts.

When parents ask an open-ended question like 'Tell me about your picture…' children are invited to explore and value their creativity. In turn, youngsters feel valued. They learn that their work, rather than a perfect result, is always good enough. This lesson is the cornerstone of building self esteem at home and at preschool in Boston.

Jane Bartlett is a retired educator who spent much of her career in leading Boston preschool programs and training others to provide preschool in Boston. She now writes extensively on early education issues and remains active locally in Brookline's preschool community.