Written by: Karen Cruise, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Research suggests that 75% of young people struggle with low self-worth at one point or another.
What is self-worth?
Self-confidence, self-esteem and self-worth are all terms that are often used interchangeably, but self-worth is the feeling of being good enough, worthy enough and belonging. The difference is that self-confidence focuses on specific areas, self-esteem often relies on external factors, and self-worth is an internal feeling and general view of our place in the world. All three issues can intertwine and affect each other – negatively or positively.
With self-worth, children will feel liked, accepted and worthy of being treated with respect.
What’s the difference between low and high self-worth?
What Low Self-Worth Looks Like | What High Self-Worth Looks Like |
Feeling like they should have done more | Feeling proud of what they can do |
Instantly assuming they won’t be good enough | Having belief in their abilities |
Resists change or trying new things, may give up before starting | Happy to try new things and give it their best shot |
Self-critical and self-judgement | Recognises their positive attributes |
Lacks confidence | Feels confident |
Five top tips to help kids build self-worth
It can be difficult to see children struggling with their self-worth, but self-worth can grow. Parents and teachers can help kids to build their self-worth with these strategies:
1. Challenge negative words
Self-criticism can be something that happens so regularly it becomes normal. So try to catch the times when a child says, ‘I’m no good at…’ or ‘I’m rubbish with…’ And gently try to challenge these criticisms with a new perception. Similarly, make sure you’re not criticising yourself too. Children will pick up on the times you put yourself down, and it can normalise self-criticism, which is something to avoid.
2. Find their passion
A club, sport, hobby or activity that they can find rewarding can be a great way to build self-worth. With this, the focus should be on enjoyment and feeling good rather than necessarily being good at the activity. Adults can help to normalise this by getting involved in activities, even if they’re not necessarily things you excel at.
3. Set goals
One of the ways self-worth can grow is with progress. Setting a goal to work towards can be a fantastic way to build a sense of achievement, increase motivation and prove to yourself that you’re able to persevere. The goal could be to learn a new skill, to give back – such as fundraising or volunteering, or trying something that pushes you out of your comfort zone.
4. Make learning the goal
It can be so easy to just do something for a child when they’re struggling. But increasing self-worth focuses on the learning journey rather than the destination of achieving. Try to show, teach or help children when they face a challenge rather than stepping in and taking over.
5. Ensure the fundamentals are in place
General well-being can play a massive part in feelings of self-worth and confidence. Good sleep quality, a healthy diet, regular exercise, spending time outdoors and having self-care strategies can all help boost self-worth.
Recognising increases in self-worth
After helping your child to increase their self-worth, you may notice benefits such as;
They spend more time with friends or have fewer friendship dramas
Spending more time on their hobbies and practising their skills
Feeling more able to give back, volunteer and help others
Finding it easier to recognise their achievements
Trying hard when facing a challenge and not giving up.
If you’re still not seeing changes to your child’s self-worth, coaching can be a great way to let children talk about what’s affecting their self-worth and build tailored strategies to boost it. If you’d like to find out more about the benefits of coaching for self-worth and whether it’s right for your child, contact Karen for a chat
Karen Cruise, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Karen Cruise is an expert in life coaching for children and young people. She was written off at school and left with no qualifications. Despite this, she had a successful corporate career as a senior leader, passed her GCSE's aged 52, achieved a university degree and is the founder and CEO of a successful, award-winning social enterprise, Flourished Minds. Her company focuses on supporting young people to excel; improving their confidence, self-esteem and self-belief and helping them to realise their fullest potential. Her mission: To help every child to tap into their wonderful uniqueness.
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