Self-esteem refers to the attitudes or feelings children have toward themselves. Self-confidence is the belief children have in themselves, their capabilities and their capacity to achieve.
Children may feel good about one aspect of themselves, but not so good about another. Feelings about their performance at school, ability to make friends, physical appearance, behaviour, sporting ability, whether or not they wet the bed – all contribute toward their overall self-worth.
As your big kid develops, they learn more about themselves and form their self-image. From this, and from people close to them, they begin to make evaluations about what type of person they are.
A child’s self-esteem tends to decline during the primary school years. This can happen for several reasons, for example, they:
• Become more interested in the world around them and become more realistic
• Learn critical thinking skills which can be applied to themselves
• Absorb the behaviour of others and are influenced by social comparisons
Understanding this as a parent is important in helping your child build self-confidence.
Try these self-esteem activities for kids. By spending time together and having fun, you and your child can learn more about and help manage your child’s nighttime wetting:
Emergency Flashlight
Materials Needed:
• A child-safe flashlight
• Glue
• Fun art supplies such as glitter, markers, paint pens, ribbons or stickers
What to Do:
If you don’t already have an extra flashlight in the house, shopping for one can be a fun start to this activity. Just look at the packaging to verify the age it’s intended for, so you’re sure it’s safe for children.
Then, make sure you have enough fun things for decorating. If you already have some art and craft supplies at home, you can use those. Or, take a trip to pick out some special supplies together.
Once you’re ready to get started, determine if you’ll work together or let your child take the lead. Remember not to get glue on the on/off button! Write their name on it so it will be their own special flashlight — or ask them to do it if they’re big enough. Then place it next to your child’s bed.
The Bedtime Book
Materials Needed:
• Construction paper
• Art supplies such as glue, glitter, markers or crayons
• A stapler or a three-hole punch and bits of ribbon for binding the book
What to Do:
Make this book all about your child and their special sleeping space. Help them draw a bed on the first page, and then let them draw and decorate the rest of the story. Ask leading questions such as What do you like about your bed? What don’t you like about your bed?
If your child raises concerns about their nighttime wetting, assure them that it’s no big deal and there’s no reason to be afraid.
Let your child draw out how they feel and then write out accompanying text. Also, let them end the book the way they choose. Bind the book either by stapling it together or by using a three-hole punch and tying the book with ribbon.
Your Own Health
Materials Needed:
• A simple anatomy book showing the bladder and urethra and their functions — or a website that shows this information
• Construction paper
• Markers, crayons or colored pencils
What to Do:
One way to help your child worry less about staying dry at night is by giving them a simple anatomy lesson so they can better understand their bladder and the process of urination. Show your child the pictures in the anatomy book or website, and trace how fluids make their way through the body. Teach them some of the simple words such as “bladder” and “kidneys.”
Then, help your child draw an outline of a body and have them show you how fluids are processed in the body. This is a good opportunity to teach them that some children’s bladders mature at a slower rate than others, which is why the “extra liquid” in their bodies sometimes “overflows” at night. Not only will your child understand why nighttime wetting is happening to them, but also you might inspire your own little doctor or artist!
These activities are a great way to help your child learn more about bedwetting — and have some fun bonding time together too. Give one a try and discover how to boost self-esteem for kids. Better yet, try them all.
