Instructions: Watch the video above and then talk about it with your family! Learn more
From one kid to another, here's what you need to know about self-esteem.

From one kid to another, here’s what you need to know about self-esteem.

What kinds of thoughts do you have about yourself in your head? That’s called self-esteem! Self-esteem is what you think about yourself. Kids with good self-esteem feel pretty good about themselves: their looks, their abilities, their friends. But kids with bad self-esteem feel pretty bad about themselves.

What about YOU? On a scale of 1-10, how good is your self-esteem?

3 Types of Low-Self-Esteemers

Low self-esteem comes in many shapes and sizes for kids, but there are three main types:

  • People-pleasers just do whatever anyone tells them – even if it’s wrong or embarrassing.
  • Self-haters have very negative thoughts or feelings about themselves, and sometimes they even wish they were someone else.
  • Bullies usually have low self-esteem, so they pick on other kids because they feel bad about themselves.

6 Ways to Work on Your Self-Esteem

The good news is, you can work on your self-esteem to make it better. Here’s how:

  1. Pay attention to what you’re good at. Every kid does something well, and nobody does everything well. Try a lot of things, and find what you’re good at!
  2. Don’t worry as much about what you’re bad at. Nobody’s perfect. If you’re not good at something, just admit it. That doesn’t mean you should give up, but don’t put pressure on yourself to be the best.
  3. Pay attention to your self-talk. Those are like the little voices in your head.
  4. Surround yourself with “pluses”. A “plus” is a positive kid. A “minus” is a negative kid.
  5. Celebrate sometimes. Do you ever celebrate when you do something good? Do it! With your family, friends, or even by yourself.
  6. Help someone. The best way to feel good about yourself is to look outward. If you only focus on yourself and your needs, you’ll eventually feel like a failure.

Psalm 139:14 Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.

Talk About It
  1. Watch the video together or invite someone to summarize the topic.
  2. What is your initial reaction to this video? Do you disagree with any of it? What jumped out at you?
  3. What kinds of thoughts do you have about yourself in your head?
  4. On a scale of 1-10, how good is your self-esteem?
  5. Which one is most like you: people-pleaser, self-hater, or bully? Explain. What can you do about it?
  6. Talk about the 6 ways to work on your self-esteem. Which one(s) will you work on?
  7. Write a personal action step based on this conversation.