Self Esteem

I read an article about a high school graduating student who was ask what problems she felt were facing young adults today, and she answered that she believes the key issue is the personal battle of SELF ESTEEM.

" Esteem" ( a favorable opinion or judgement or respect). So that means young people coming out of high school do not have a favorable opinion of themselves, Why ?

I do not think this happened " overnight ", I think it is the environment we live in today and the way they were raised.

In my opinion, to change the environment we have to do it one person at a time.

I don't remember ever having a problem with low self esteem and I believe it is because my mother taught me from a little girl that I am as "good" as anyone BUT not "better" than anyone. I might have a talent for one thing but I can't do what another person can do.

For example is a doctor better than a farmer ? I don't think so because the doctor my be able to save your life in some cases, but if the farmer did not grow food for you to eat you would die. So one is as important as the other.

I believe we need to instill in our children the belief that they can do
 " anything" if they want to badly enough and work to accomplish whatever it is they want to do.

I often tell the true story of when I was a little girl about 9 years old I became very sick, doctors did not have all the knowledge they do now so it took several doctors some time before they diagnosed my problem.

By the time they decided that I had Rheumatic Fever, the rheumatism in my knees was so bad I could not stand and had lost so much weight I almost looked like a skeleton. When they admitted me into the hospital
( which turned out to be a years stay), I overheard the doctor tell my mother they were not sure they could save me, and if they did I would probably never walk again. I remember thinking to myself " Oh yes I will walk again".

After a years stay in the hospital I was transferred to a Convalescent Home for about six months. It was there that I thought I might be strong  enough to make myself walk again.
I would sit up on the side of my bed at night after everyone else was asleep. Eventually I would just stand beside the bed, then gradually I would take one step at a time, holding onto the bed until I could finally walk. It took what seemed like a long time of doing this every night but I finally was able to let go of the bed and walk on my own.

You can imagine the amazement when I showed the doctors, nurses and my mother that I could walk, it was like a miracle to them. But I will always  believe, along with the good medical care I got , it was me believing I could do it and the hard work I put into it.

From then on I have believed that  a person can do anything if they set a goal and work hard toward it

I don't like arrogance and I think there is a thin line between arrogance and self confidence. It is self confidence that we want to give our children.


Once again, I think we should start teaching them when they are very small. Ask them something they would like to do and if they don't know how to do it, show them, but don't do it for them, let them do it themselves and once they learn they could do that then let them try something else.
This will teach them self confidence and with self confidence comes self esteem.

Let's start NOW and help build self esteem in our young ones.

New Years Resolution

Most of us have started out the new year with our " New Years Resolutions" and I hope we can keep at least most of them.

On behalf of the children in our country and every country I ask you to add one more resolution, and that is to spend some or more time with a small child.

Our children, perhaps unknowingly crave the same things we do, attention, recognition, praise and love. And yet we "adults" are so busy seeking what we feel we need that we sometimes forget that the little ones need those things too.

It is a proven fact that young children learn quicker and better from birth to age 6 or 8 years of age than any other age. They develop " life habits" during those formative years and it's up to us to teach them "good" life habits, like the desire to want to read and learn helpful and beneficial things, and to treat others the way they want to be treated.

Some say "oh, they are too young to learn". Well I'm here to tell you that is just not true. If you don't believe it just watch how fast a little one learns that if they throw their toy on the floor while sitting on your lap you will pick it up, and they have learned a new game.

I recently saw a You Tube of several small Asian children playing guitars in concert, they were so small the guitars looked enormous in their little laps. And the music and harmony that came from those little ones was astounding ! Someone may say how did they do that ? I'll tell you how, someone took the time to teach them. And they were incredible.

Unfortunately we give children electronic and mechanical games and toys and they learn perhaps more from them (and not always good things) than from us.I'm not opposed to those kind of toys, I just think the children need more human relationship.

So please resolve to spend some time with a little one, playing a game or reading to them orperhaps teaching them art or music or just taking a walk and enjoying nature.

Our little ones truly are gifts, so lets show our appreciation for them by giving them a bit of ourselves and letting them know we care.

Next time I will give you a couple of hints on how to teach a child while spending time with them.

Keep in mind, I am just an old grandma who loves children and what I give you is what I call " horse sense" or just old fashioned common sense. I do not claim to be an educator.

Until next time show kindness,
Grandma Joy