Factors That Shape A Child’s Self-Concept

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Subconscious perception of self, self-concept is present in children right from birth, and is influenced by various environmental experiences along with their own motor, cognitive and social skills achieved through the formative years of childhood.

Factors that Shape Children's Self-Concept

Self image is dynamic in nature.
It changes with each challenge met and with every influence encountered.

Children’s inherent temperament plays a major role in their emotional reaction to outside influences during their early development; infancy, toddler hood and preschool years.
Parents’ affectionate caring response to child’s needs builds trust and fosters self regulation in the child.
Toddlers’ interpersonal interaction with people in their environment has an impact on their self-concept; a crucial facet of personality development.

Influence of significant others

With ongoing child growth and achieved developmental milestones, children’s environment expands outside their home

Gradually the values projected by peers and significant others in the circle gain their admiration, which affects their self-concept.

Some children take the remarks of others in their stride, whereas others get bogged down by them.

But parents’ influence on their children Never wavers!

Parents’ unfaltering support and trust in their children’s beliefs and abilities help them through the psycho social turmoils of childhood development by enhancing positive aspect of their temperament and subduing their negativity.

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Parents’ role

Positive parenting practices boost positive traits of children's temperament and thereby their self image. Parents can certainly not control all the external influences on children’s self image, nor can there be prescribed regimes to prevent dampening of children’s spirit.

Children need constant supervision without being oppressive and constant care without being repressive. They need freedom to let their creativity flourish and unconditional love to nurture under emotional stability.

Need to change adult attitude towards children

Most of the time, children are perceived as a bundle of mistakes with behavior issues and learning inadequacies. Childhood development is a physiological phase of ambivalence; and the common adult attitude further jars children's self confidence.

Moreover, many adults misuse their authority over children: Children are soft targets to adult frustrations. Child abuse is of different grades and has several forms. Traumatic childhood experiences mar affected children’s psycho social development. Their self-concept is blemished for life and achievements deterred.

Children need to be perceived as individuals in their own right rather than as possession; strong and full of potentials rather than as weak and needy.

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Child Psychology

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