Your Child’s Self-Esteem

When my daughter Julia was 7 years old, I was told by teachers, principal, counselors and social workers that I could never expect her to read above 3rd grade level, and must be prepared to support her all her life.

They also noted, as an aside, that she was remarkably well adjusted for someone with her multiple and complex learning disabilities.

Julia is 24 now, a university senior majoring in environmental science, with a 3.75 GPA.

The strong sense of self, of her innate value, which counselors noted even when her future as an independent adult looked completely out of the question, I credit to the fact that I read this book while Julia was still tumbling around in amniotic fluid.

My primary goal with my daughter was to be sure she had a strong senese of her self and her innate value as a human being — a goal solely and entirely inspired by this book! Because her self esteem was strong, she attacked the challenges of her life with confidence and implacable determination, and won.

My daughter has become a cheerful, unique, self-referring and self reliant adult, and I credit her success to two things: the ideas I got from this book, and my daughter’s on powerful will and determination, fueled by the confidence Your Child’s Self Esteem gave this parent!

While Ms. Briggs, writing back in the 70’s, might not have been terribly politically correct in her discussion of homosexuality (page 144, mentioned in other reviews — I’ve actually forgotten what was said), I think we’re all adult enough to take what she says, remember when she said it, and filter those ideas through our own value systems to make correct choices. That’s a lot of what her book is about, after all!
Rating: 5 / 5
Your Child’s Self-Esteem

The whole idea of self-esteem has been misrepresented and mocked in recent years. People who don’t really underatand the concept think it means falsely praising children and giving them an unrealistically inflated sense of their abilities or an annoying conceit. What it really means is letting the child know he or she is lovable and worthwhile, which every human being certainly is to begin with. Most all parents feel this about their children in some ways–they love them–but we can communicate otherwise and end up making the child feel inadequate, unloved, that only performance brings approval. The book is beautifully and compellingly written and can really help you see the way if you’re feeling uncertain of your parenting or down about how your children are behaving. I always felt better and inspired after reading it and thought of it as a gift to myself and my family–it helped me remember what is really important and also gave me definite ideas about how to parent more effectively, with pertinent information about what kids need at different ages. Along with How To Talk So Kids Will Listen and Listen so Kids Will Talk, I think it’s the best there is!
Rating: 5 / 5
Your Child’s Self-Esteem

This book is ideal for anyone desiring a positive, nuturing relationship with their child. Because it makes intuitive sense, it really opened my eyes. It has also given me insight into my own actions and personality, as a parent and an adult, as well as confidence in my own instincts. Often, new parents are given well-meaning but conflicting and misguided advice about how to “get control” of our children, often by parents who could have really benefitted from this book. (This is especially true, I think, for parents of bright, active, sensitive children). The best part is, keeping this philosophy in mind and employing these strategies brought immediate results with my kids (diffused anger, allowed them to get control of themselves so they could behave)and that has given me confidence that I am on the right course. Also, do not throw the baby out with the bathwater regarding “page 144.” While the author’s conclusions regarding the origins of homosexuality represent outdated thinking, the remainder of her conclusions are on point.
Rating: 4 / 5
Your Child’s Self-Esteem