Child self esteem may be especially vulnerable to fluctuations during the tween years. Here's what you need to know about child self esteem during preadolescence.
1. How Child Self Esteem Changes With Age
Child self esteem changes in four major ways during the tween years. Self esteem becomes less stable, more variable from one child to the next, more individualized and increasingly prone to sharp drops.
2. Why Child Self Esteem Changes During the Tween Years
The tween years are a particularly vulnerable time for self esteem for a variety of reasons. For instance, increasing performance pressure and more pronounced feelings of inferiority may cause tweens' self esteem to drop.
3. Social Comparisons Impact Child Self Esteem
Tweens tend to make more social comparisons - both upward comparisons and downward comparisons - than they did earlier in life. This occurs due to cognitive and social changes.
4. Effects of Low Child Self Esteem
Low self esteem in tweens has been associated with a number of negative outcomes, including higher rates of depression and poorer academic performance. It's complicated at times to determine to what degree low self esteem causes these problem or if living with these issues result in low self esteem.
5. How To Boost Child Self Esteem
Parents can take a number of steps to help boost their children's self esteem. Positive parental actions include being a good role model, listening actively and encouraging kids to value their skills.
6. Early Puberty Can Affect Child Self Esteem
Unfotunately, some factors that affect child self esteem are out of parents' control. A notable one is the early onset of puberty, which can present a particular challenge to girls' self esteem.