“I Like Me!”
The first day of school is just around the corner! Many families have been in quarantine for a few months now, which means their children have had little to no peer interaction. This may pose a social struggle for some as they reenter the classroom. Typically, a hot teaching topic during the first week of school is friendship. Rather than focusing on how to make friends or how to teach social skills, I’d like to dive deeper into the foundation of friendship, which is self-esteem. If children can learn to be happy with who they are and love themselves, they can then share that love with others and develop strong, healthy relationships.
Get your kids talking! Help them build their confidence in communicating with others by using some of these fun everyday conversation starters! Use them during meal time, in the car, or at the end of a busy day.
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As a former teacher, I have found that storybooks are an effective way to introduce a concept and help create a dialogue with children. This book, called “I Like Myself” by Karen Beaumont, is a story about loving yourself, inside and out.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vPI4gKWDGg
If you have older children, who have a longer attention span, “Chrysanthemum”, by Kevin Henkes, is one of my all time favorite books to read, especially on the first day of school. (Actually, all of his books are amazing). This story teaches us to be confident in ourselves, regardless of what others say.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fkR7X4SevE
At the end of my post, I’ve attached a fun “All About Me” activity for you to print and complete with your child to help promote his/her sense of self. I encourage you to post a picture of your child’s poster on our CECPTA facebook page so we can learn more about them!
Lastly, I’d like to leave you with this great resource from calm4kids.org.
https://calm4kids.org/10-ways-to-nurture-your-childs-self-concept/
I wish everyone a happy, healthy academic year. Though it will bring new challenges and discoveries, let it be an interesting, and enriching journey.
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About Jen Speer
Jen was born and raised in Carrollton, TX. As a former 2nd grade teacher, she is now a stay-at-home mom raising her two beautiful daughters, Madeline (3yo) and Charlotte (1yo). She joined the CECPTA in February 2019 and is part of the purple and green playgroups. She enjoys date nights with her husband of 8 years, playing outside with her kids, exercising, a good cup of coffee, and traveling.
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