Fostering a Healthy Sense of Self

We’ve covered a lot in this module, so let’s take a moment to sum up.

Research shows that:

• A healthy sense of self is fundamental to child development and important for learning
• Like adults, young children process experiences at both a conscious and an unconscious level
• Children rely on their self-esteem to form social groups and friendships
• Positive self-esteem can provide an emotional buffer against everyday setbacks and difficulties
• Stereotypes, biases and other negative influences can harm a child’s sense of self and disrupt academic learning

There are things parents and teachers can do to help children develop a healthy sense of self. They can:

• Provide positive role models that children can identify with, especially in school
• Praise children for the effort they put in, not their personal ability
• Help children understand that difficulty is not failure, but a normal part of learning
• Examine the stereotypes that we all hold and work to counter them
• Give all children the opportunity to do math activities – fathers helping their daughters with these activities is a particularly powerful way to counter STEM stereotypes
• Nurture supportive family and communities so that children feel safe, included, and valued

When we do these things, we fill a child’s backpack so that they are resilient and ready for the many life adventures that await.