Molly Mutschler's List: Self-Esteem

• the children have "become more self-sufficient. Their self-image is boosted. They feel they can do everything,"

• they discussed their plans for the day with Wilson - an exercise that involves language and thinking skills.

  "It gives them a feeling of making their own choices, their own decisions,"

• Shyness was negatively related to a self-esteem rating and to a measure of the child's expectations of self-efficacy in performing motor tasks.
• when shyness is strongly and consistently evoked in one or a variety of social encounters, it may have harmful effects on an individual's emotional and social well-being
• shy 3- and 4-year-olds are more likely to yield and give in to conflict, are less assertive, are less resourceful in initiating activities, are more likely to use "wait-and-hover" tactics when entering play, are less direct in expressing feelings, and are less energetic and lively are than their less-shy peers.
• personal efficacy, the expectation that they can successfully carry out a behavior to produce a desired outcome.
• real roots of self-esteem may be seen to lie in the child's early experience of efficacy, of making things happen.
• The shy preschooler's lack of assertiveness, initiative, and risk taking may be behavioral manifestations of a limited sense of self-efficacy.
• children younger than approximately age 7, make little use of social comparison when making self-evaluations; rather, they make evaluations based on an absolute standard
• address directional questions regarding whether low self-esteem contributes to the development of shyness or shyness promotes low self-esteem.
• the less self-confidence a child feels, the more likely he or she is hesitant to engage in social interaction. The less social experience the child gains, the less opportunity the child has to develop competence in social interaction. Similarly, the more awkward, unsuccessful, and unrewarding his or her social interactions are, the more likely that low self-confidence will be maintained.
• The importance of motoric success to the young child suggests that adults should be reflective and deliberate in the way that they respond to children's successes and failures. Encouraging statements and behavior reflections such as "You found a way to fit all the pieces in," "I see you're building that tower slowly, by stacking the blocks very carefully," "I see lots of lines in your painting. Green lines, blue lines, purple lines!" and "You almost got it! You were trying hard," can be effective verbal means of promoting children's feelings of competence, success, and pride. These methods are contrasted with tangible rewards and less effective forms of praise, such as "What a pretty picture you made," "You're the best puzzle-worker in the class," and "Very good."

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