How a Child’s Self Esteem Affects School Performance

By Marty Wolner –

One of the most important factors that influences a child’s success in school is self esteem.

At every stage of a child’s life, self esteem is the foundation of personal growth, learning, creativity, personal accountability and responsibility, and personal relations. A child’s self esteem determines the degree to which he or she may maximize the resources and personal tools he or she was born with. High self esteem is when a child feels important, accepted, in control and purposeful. Having healthy self esteem is to feel lovable and capable. A child with high self esteem will be proud of his or her accomplishments, assume responsibility and accountability, tolerate frustration well, be brave and confident enough to try new things, and exhibit a wide range of emotion.

A child’s self esteem influences what he or she does and how it’s done. Self esteem is how a child feels about him- or herself. These feelings will then impact self-image and beliefs about one’s self. A child will act in ways that increase a sense of self worth and satisfaction, seeking praise and approval, for instance. A child will also act in ways that confirm self-image by others, behaving in congruence with that self-image. Also, a child will act to maintain consistence in that self image, regardless of changing surroundings.

The ways in which a child handles and experiences a wide range of school activities is directly affected by self esteem. In the book, “How to Raise Children’s Self Esteem,” Dr. Harris Clemes, PhD. points out a child with superior intelligence and low self esteem can do poorly in school, while a child with average intelligence and high self esteem can be unusually successful. A child with low self esteem loses focus and motivation easily, and spends a lot of time distracted. High self esteem helps a child deal with daily challenges and adversity.

For Five (5) Ways to Raise Your Child’s Self Esteem” please visit: http://Responsible-Kids.net/raisingselfesteem.html

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For more information on understanding the complex nature of who a child is, how his or her brain develops and processes information, and to practice new and easy-to-learn healthy parenting tools, please visit: ResponsibleKids.net

Marty Wolner (BA, CPE, ICF, PACA) is a Certified Parenting Educator for the Institute of Professional and Educational Development, and New Paradigm Training Institute in Ft. Washington, PA and the Institute for Family Professionals and Lakeside Education for Transition in Philadelphia, PA, and the parent of two teenagers.

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