No matter how many gifts you give to your child, there is one gift that is the most wonderful and priceless of them all — YOUR LOVE.

YOUR LOVE come with no strings attached and is in an ever abundant supply. It nurtures your child and provides a blanket of protection to make them feel safe and secure as they grow through the various stages of their life.

Knowing there is a loving and supportive parent in their corner, builds your child’s self esteem like nothing else. And that’s a good thing… because they will need a healthy dose of it to navigate through all of life’s trials and tribulations.

With that in mind, here are 3 simple tips you can use to help build your child’s self esteem:

1. Teach them how to respect themselves and others – Unless you show your child respect, they will never know what it looks like. If your child doesn’t develop respect for themselves and others, they could go through their entire lives undervaluing their capabilities and never living up to their full potential.

A great first step to teaching your child respect is effective communication. Speak to them politely and use a calm tone. Try to avoid raising your voice when they have done something wrong. Instead, seek to understand why they did what they did, then patiently correct them.

Lashing out at your child can cause them to retreat emotionally and feel like they have no value to you or themselves. So when having conversations, listen intently to what they are really trying to say, rather than waiting for the chance to jump in and get your point across.

Most importantly, protect the secrets and embarrassments they share with you. Remember, this information is extremely sensitive to them (that’s why its a secret). Handle it with care and you will reinforce their trust in you as a confidant.

Use effective communication to teach your child respect and you will be rewarded for your efforts. You will be so proud when your child grow into an adult that has confidence and self esteem radiating from their eyes.

2. Let them grow by facing obstacles – As a parent, you will instinctively try to protect your child from pain. But for many of life’s little “bumps in the road”, it may be better to let them experience these moments on their own.

Facing “bumps in the road” will help your child develop character. It sharpens their decision making skills and allows them to discover strengths they never knew they had.

Obstacles are the ultimate self esteem builders. An individual that has overcome adversity own their own can not help but learn the true meaning of self-worth.

If the idea of letting your child face obstacles alone makes you nervous, you can always keep a close eye on them and jump in if things get out of control. But for the most part, let them explore what life has to offer so they can grow into the person they were meant to become.

3. Acknowledge and appreciate their accomplishments – When your child becomes interested in a new subject and takes the initiative to learn, participate, or complete a project in that area, show appreciation for their accomplishments.

If the project is important enough for them to devote time and effort to it, then that means it is “big deal” to them.  They will be super excited when you acknowledge the initiative they took to get started and the great work they’ve done.

Additionally, you will be reinforcing their self esteem because they have made a decision on their own and it met your approval.  This makes them feel confident when making future decisions and taking on harder challenges.

Some final words on building your child’s self esteem

Building your child’s self esteem is a worth while investment. It allows them to be confident, gain the respect of others, and grow up to become great leaders and decision makers.

On the other hand, children with low self esteem lack the confidence to live life to the fullest. They are prone to getting in trouble or find themselves  in situations they have no control over.

As a parent, it would break your heart to see your child like that. That’s why building their self esteem is such an important part of giving them the best shot of having a successful life.

The good news is, you’re already on the right track. YOUR LOVE coupled with these 3 simple tips make a great foundation for them to grown into a strong, confident adult.