Self-esteem is the core belief people have about themselves.
Healthy self-esteem helps a person to act responsibly, cooperate well with others,
deal with difficulties, and have the confidence to try new things.
The
foundation of self-esteem is established in childhood, although it is a
lifelong process of development.
Parents are the most significant
influences on a child's self-esteem. Parents promote a child's healthy
self-esteem by initiating a cycle of belonging, learning, and contributing. A
sense of belonging helps a child to participate in learning new things;
learning makes a child feel confident in making contributions; making
contributions helps secure a feeling of belonging.
An unhealthy
self-esteem causes problems throughout life. Mental health problems,
problems with other people, and lack of confidence are some of the possible
consequences of low self-esteem.