Self Esteem

Self Esteem:
I want to share with you some ideas to help at home this summer with promoting self-esteem.

First, I am a very big believer in complimenting children. Wouldn't it be nice if someone complimented you each day? So we like to compliment our kids numerous times at SK. We are constantly saying, "Yeah Susan! You did a great job at coloring," or "Good job, Susan!"
To see a child's face light up is wonderful!

So here's a tip I give to my clients: make positive compliments on small pieces of paper at home or type some on your computer  so you can use them again and again. Customize them for your own family. Cut them out and put them in a small container in your kitchen. When you catch your child doing something wonderful, pull out the paper compliment and give it to your child. You will see a smile form on his/her face. Your child can collect all of his/her compliments in his/her pockets daily. Before bed he/she can clear out his/her pockets and read the compliments from the day. Your child can make a compliment tree for the compliments earned by posting them on a Fathead tree (see http://www.fathead.com/custom/) attached to his/her wall, put them in a shoebox for a rainy day or post them on a bulletin board.

It is sometimes hard for parents to remember to be positive. Being a mother of four boys, I know this to be true. Many times my boys are trying to get my attention. But they will try to get any kind of attention even if it is NEGATIVE attention. I find by giving compliments, the negative behavior lessens and turns positive.

Keeping compliments in my kitchen is a reminder to not only catch them in the act of "putting their dishes in the dishwasher" or "putting their napkin in the garbage,"  but is also a reminder that I need to compliment them more in order to keep a positive behavior.

I use the kitchen because that is where we spend most of our time as a family. You could make compliments for your family rooms, bedrooms, cars, etc. Differentiate them for your family!!!

Here are two books I love to read at SK and in my own classroom with the children. It teaches them how to be positive and gives more examples of positive compliments. It even explains what bucket dippers are to the children.

I teach the children how to give and receive compliments. The children learn how to verbally give compliments and how write their own compliments and exchange them.

 For my teacher friends, I have included samples of different compliments I have used at SK. Here is also a picture of my compliment tree.

Every time the students write a compliment to another classmate, they can add it to the tree.