Hello, this is MY STELLA! Today, I will summarize the theme of "What is self-affirmation?" in an easy-to-understand manner. In this article, we will introduce a wide range of latest information related to children's self-affirmation, including the meaning and types of self-affirmation, why it is attracting attention right now, the current situation of children in Japan, how parents can support them, and new issues in the age of social media. When self-esteem increases, you will find that children will be able to be themselves and grow freely.
Basic meaning of self-affirmation
MY STELLA believes in the potential of children and values nurturing the foundation of their hearts. One of the essential words is "self-affirmation". Although you may hear it in your daily life, you may not think about what "self-affirmation" is again.
Definition and psychological background of self-affirmation
What is self-affirmation? "The feeling of feeling that you are important" refers to. In psychology, frameworks for how to perceive the self, such as the "self-concept" advocated by American psychologist Carl Rogers and the "self-efficacy" of Albert Bandura, often appear. The ability to feel valued and affirm one's existence can be emotional support in various aspects of life. It is an important foundation of the mind not only for children but also for adults.
Types of self-affirmation (self-acceptance, self-efficacy, etc.)
Even if you say self-affirmation, there are several aspects in it. Typical examples include "self-acceptance", "self-efficacy", and "self-esteem". Self-acceptance is a way of mind that "can be recognized by any self". Self-efficacy is the feeling of believing in one's own ability that "if I do it, I can do it." And Self-esteem feelings is the power to feel that you are valuable. By growing up in a balanced manner, children can move forward flexibly and in their own way, even when they encounter failures and difficulties.
Why is self-affirmation attracting attention now?
Comparative data between children in Japan and the world
In the past few years, the importance of self-esteem has been discussed in the background of a survey that shows that the self-esteem of children in Japan is low compared to the rest of the world. In the Cabinet Office's "Reiwa 4 Child and Youth Awareness Survey", the percentage of young people who answered that they were "satisfied with themselves" was 45.1% in Japan. Compared to other countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom, the difference is large and is perceived as an issue for society as a whole. At MY STELLA, many parents have asked us, "How can I grow my child's confidence?"
The relationship between modern social context and self-esteem
In modern Japan, while it is easy to focus only on academic ability and successful experiences, the creation of a society that accepts diversity and individuality is being promoted. With the spread of social media and digital media, children tend to be compared to others. If self-esteem remains low, you may not have confidence and tend to be reluctant to fail or take on the challenge of change. Against this background, the value of cultivating a sense of self-affirmation is becoming more and more widespread, as a foundation for the mind to cherish "who you are".
Effects of low self-esteem
The foundation of a child's mind that MY STELLA values is self-affirmation. But what happens if self-esteem is low? In fact, it has a variety of effects on our daily lives and even our future. The accumulation of small "I did it" and "It's okay" every day is directly related to the child's confidence and mental stability.
Specific impact on children's lives and behavior
If your self-esteem is not developed sufficiently, your ability to "try it" will be weakened, and your tendency to avoid new experiences will be strong. For example, they may be overly afraid of failure and hesitant to take on challenges, or may not be able to convey their feelings well. In addition, feelings of anxiety and self-denial may permeate your daily life, such as feeling that troubles with friends are your fault.
Impact on academic ability, relationships, and mental health
In fact, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology's "National Survey on Academic Ability and Learning Status" also reported that children with high self-esteem were more likely to answer that they were able to persistently tackle problems they did not understand.
On the other hand, low self-esteem tends to reduce motivation to take on challenges and learn, and tends to stress out friendships and isolate oneself.
In the long run, low self-esteem is deeply related to self-evaluation, how you dream for the future, and your mental health.
Characteristics of children with high self-esteem
・Have the courage to try new things
・Easy to recover even if you fail
・Good relationships with friends
・High motivation to learn
How parents can relate to develop their children's self-esteem
Key points for parent-child communication
We at Mystera believe that small daily calls and conversations are a great opportunity to develop a child's sense of self-esteem. First, listen carefully to your child's story. Even if your child can't put it into words, it's important to feel his feelings through facial expressions and gestures. Just telling them that they accept your feelings will give you a sense of security. Also, praising the "process" rather than the result is an opportunity to recognize your own identity.
Ways to talk to children
When your child makes a mistake or mistake, it is important to tell them that "the challenge itself is wonderful" rather than advising them to "do this and it will work". In addition to the words "It's okay" and "It's okay to leave it as it is", if you try to affirm your child's very existence, you will build a solid foundation of self-affirmation.
Practical examples of self-esteem improvement that can be done at home
As an initiative that can be done in daily life, for example, it is also effective to experience home things such as cooking and cleaning together, and enjoying making special memories through MY STELLA's original picture books. When your child accomplishes something or feels a small success, share your joy in a specific way, such as "I'm happy" or "Mom (dad) is happy too." The habit of saying "thank you" to each other is also an opportunity to acknowledge each other's existence.
Cherish your parents' own feelings
In order to support children's self-esteem, it is important for parents to admit that they don't have to be perfect without overdoing it. It's okay to have worries and fatigue sometimes. The smiles and relaxed appearance of parents tell their children that "everyone is different." MY STELLA also gently supports parents and children who enjoy raising children while worrying about their daily lives.
The changing environment surrounding children
Challenges and opportunities in the age of SNS and the Internet
Today's children, as we at MY STELLA, are growing up in a world where the Internet and social media are integrated into our daily lives. While digital services such as LINE, Instagram, and YouTube are useful for communicating with friends and encountering new knowledge, there are also more moments when the heart is shaken by "likes" and comments on social media, as well as invisible comparative competitions.
For example, even elementary and junior high school students measure their own evaluation by the reactions of others, and their minds are more susceptible to external influences than in the past. At the same time, opportunities to come into contact with new worlds and diverse values are also increasing. The digital society also has great potential to stimulate children's curiosity and inquisitiveness.
Impact on children and family support
In the Internet age, stress caused by slander and excessive information flooding is also an issue. That's why time to have conversations at home and trust each other's feelings is more important than ever. At MY STELLA, we believe that digital literacy education and creating an environment where parents and children can talk with peace of mind are becoming more and more important.
How to protect your child's identity
On the Internet and social media, while the world around you expands, it can also be difficult to maintain consideration for others and confidence in yourself. For example, interactions in group chats in class and fluctuations in self-evaluation due to the influence of video distribution can sometimes lead to losing sight of one's own identity.
However, by repeating casual daily conversations and experiences of taking on new challenges together, children naturally develop their own values and strengths. At MY STELLA, we believe that adults close to us, such as at home and school, acknowledging each child's "who they are" and valuing the smallest "I made it!" will be the basis for cultivating the ability to protect their own individuality.
Conclusion
Self-affirmation is an essential psychological foundation for children to grow up healthy in their own way. Now that the changes in the family and society and the challenges of the SNS era are spreading, the environment surrounding children is becoming more and more complex. However, it has been found that warm communication between parents and children and small success experiences at home can strongly develop children's self-esteem.
The important thing is to create an environment where each child can accept their individuality and efforts and fall in love with them. The personalized picture book "Mystera" with the name as the main character is a new reading experience that naturally nurtures children's "self-identity" and "self-confidence". Why not enjoy a special story together and increase your child's self-esteem?
For children, small daily interactions with their parents lead to great confidence.
At MY STELLA, we value being close to the hearts of each child. That's why I understand the feelings of all parents. The joy, anxiety, and worries of raising children. Parenting can be a journey that makes everyone strive for perfection. But there is no perfect parent-child relationship.
Rather, sometimes worries and hesitations are part of the irreplaceable story of parents and children. I would be happy if we could be close to such a child-rearing day, even if only a little.
It is also a wonderful option to have people around you listen to you without worrying about it. And if you don't mind, I hope that MY STELLA can also be a small light in your parenting journey.
See you in the next article!
For those who want to know more
Sources of data presented in this article:
- Cabinet Office "Reiwa 4 Survey on the Situation of Children and Youth"
- Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology "National Survey on Academic Ability and Learning Status" (FY2022)
- Benesse Institute of Education "Family Education Survey" (2021)
