Teach Your Child To Love And Accept Who They Are

Teach Your Child To Love And Accept Who They Are

Last update: 07 October, 2017

Teach your child to love and accept themselves as they are. This way they will feel satisfied with their actions, way of thinking, feelings and achievements.

Only people who are this way can be happy. A person who is ashamed of who they are, of what they have or are missing, finds it difficult to live in peace with themselves and the people around them.

Five rules to teach your child to love and accept who they are

There are 5 basic rules that you can use while raising your child to teach them to love and accept themselves as they are. This should be incorporated into your daily habits.

This rules as as follows.

Applaud them so that they feel proud.

Your applause is one of the best prizes your child can receive. Such a simple action transmits a priceless message that helps to build up their self-esteem.

Mother teaching child to love and accept herself

Your smile, your nod of acceptance, your laugh, a hug, tap on the back, a kiss given to repay their good actions makes them feel proud of the way they are.

Applaud your child. Make them feel proud when they sing, dance, make a joke, win a race, draw, eat all their food, tie their shoelaces. When they help you without you asking, tell them with or without words that you are proud of them.

Give them affection to make them feel loved.

Affection is one of the best ways to show to someone through actions that you love and appreciated them for being by your side.

Skin contact, sweet words, your kisses, the time they spend sleeping next to you. When you carry them (even when they are bigger), passing your hand softly through their hair allows them to feel loved be the person that means the most in the world to them, you.

While loving them, you help them love and accept who they are.

Speaking about their qualities makes them learn to value them

Your child doesn’t know the qualities they posses unless you or your family, teachers or friend tell them. It is only by comparison with other children their age that they are able to know their unique values.

Speak to them about their qualities so that they can learn who they are. Teach them to value their qualities as important characteristics that they should be proud of.

Qualities could be physical aspects, intelligence, artistic tendencies or in sports… it can be anything that they do that allows them to appreciate themselves.

Include them in family conversations and listen to their opinion in order to make them feel valued by all.

Leaving them out of conversations, not paying attention to who they say, never commenting on their ideas and not putting those ideas into practice doesn’t help your child love and accept themselves; it has the opposite effect.

This will only tell them that their opinions are not valued by anyone else. You can ask your child when trying to solve a problem. When they are little you should ask them about simple problems. When they give you an opinion, pay attention and apply it.

Make them see that what they consider flaws are actually things to be proud of

Teach your child that they don’t have flaws, because no child has them. What they see as defects are only physical or psychological traits that form them as unique human. Only when theses characteristics are used to put down their own or another child’s integrity can they be called defects.

Jealousy, self-centeredness, hate, violence… these are the only traits that should be fixed. However, maybe your child is to young to understand this notion. It is your job to perceive traits like these in their personalities and eliminate them as early as possible.

Show them that their crooked nose is a family trait, that should be showcased with pride. That their height (taller than the rest) could be in coming years the trait that makes them stand out in sports.

What one sees as defects, others see as virtues. Make them understand that they should not be guided by opinions that state otherwise and explain to them that they will always be critics.


All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.


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This text is provided for informational purposes only and does not replace consultation with a professional. If in doubt, consult your specialist.