Photo by Alexander Dummer
Teaching self-love to kids is one of the best practices we can impart to them.
“Love,” as a word, is easily thrown around by people. The term has lost its meaning due to us overusing it. Fortunately, the inspirational children’s book by Charlene Turner, titled “Sun Lion,” perfectly captures the importance of self-love and why kids need to become the best versions of their authentic selves.
But why is teaching self-love to kids so valuable, and are there any benefits for children if they learn it? Let’s go ahead and find out!
Defining the Meaning of Self-Love
One of the central tenets of self-love is cultivating an attitude wherein a person accepts themselves fully. Contrary to popular belief, it’s not usually a condition where people feel good because there are parts of us that we find less desirable. Rather, it is a condition of appreciating one’s self which stems from actions that aid one’s spiritual, physical, and psychological growth. In short, self-love is about nurturing one’s well-being, happiness, and development.
Why is Teaching Self-Love to Kids so Valuable?
If kids don’t have any role models for self-love or if they don’t have anyone to teach them the value of loving themselves as they grow up, they will question if self-love truly is valuable. Without self-love, youngsters can easily fall into the negative cycle of people-pleasing tendencies, and they’ll be prone to putting up with abuse and mistreatment from other people.
It’s the parent’s job to teach their offspring the value of self-love and let them develop healthy boundaries, create healthy relationships with the individuals around them, and make their dreams come true. Every parent must consider that teaching self-love to kids won’t happen overnight. Like other vital life skills, kids need time to learn and practice self-love.
Hence, parents should start teaching their children self-love at an early age within their household, including in daycare or school, and treat self-love as an integral part of their early childhood education. The inspirational children’s book by Charlene Turner understands that if we want to prepare a child to become responsible members of society, we need to teach them how to value and love themselves.
Advantages of Teaching Self-Love to Kids
Kids with a positive outlook on themselves are more inclined to do new things, do their best in every endeavor, learn and cope with past mistakes, face challenges head-on, and try new things. Having such outlooks will make kids’ lives less stressful, and they won’t be afraid to ask others for help when necessary. Thanks to their confidence and perspective, they have a higher chance of doing great in the household and seeking meaningful friendships with their peers.
How Parents or Guardians Can Aid Youngsters Develop Self-Love
Although teaching kids about self-love seems complicated, it’s not that complex. Here are a couple of ways parents or guardians can help teach children self-love:
• Practice Self-Care – WHO (World Health Organization) defines self-care as the act of communities, individuals, and families to cope with disability and illness, promote and maintain health, and prevent diseases with/without the medical aid of a healthcare provider.
Here are a few self-care concepts for children:
• Taking a nap
• Consuming a healthy snack
• Playing with friends
• Drinking a whole glass of water
• Taking a bath
• Inspire Positive Reinforcement or Self-Talk – Self-love treats the one who stares right back at you in the mirror like a friend. Using positive self-talk, we can teach kids to talk to themselves as if they would like a close friend. Teach kids how to comfort, motivate, and compliment themselves.
• Be the Role Model of Love – You won’t be able to teach kids self-love if you don’t show them how it’s done. Parental behavior is among parents’ biggest influences over a child’s growth. With that said, be sure to practice self-care and self-love constantly, and your youngster will eventually mirror it.
Need to learn how to instill self-love in your child? Try reading an inspirational children’s book by Charlene Turner by visiting her website here. Read it with your child, have fun, and show them why self-love is valuable!
