Tips On How To Improve Your Child's Self-Awareness?

Educating children about vital life skills is essential for their overall development.

Hence, one skill that must be taught from an early age is self-awareness for kids. Learning this skill could help children progress toward an optimistic future.

A child who is well aware of their thoughts and feelings can easily overcome their weaknesses, boost their potential, and develop good socio-emotional skills. Hence, if you plan to teach self-awareness to your children, read this post for tips on some ways to teach this useful skill in an age-appropriate manner.

What Is Self-Awareness?

Self-awareness is a life skill that helps children learn to understand their feelings, behaviors, and thoughts and optimize their potential. It also helps them understand what others think of them and their behavior, become emotionally intelligent, and build better relationships with themselves and others. Developing self-awareness and channeling it in the right way is an essential tool in your child’s overall development (1).

How To Teach Self-Awareness For Kids

Being self-aware will help your child tap into his emotional as well as academic intelligence

. It will also help your child develop various social relationships through the growing up years and even later in life. Here are some easy and effective ways on developing self awareness in children:

1. Be a role model

To develop self-awareness for children, you have first to be aware of it yourself (2).

• Use your everyday behavior to show your child how to manage daily situations in a calm and positive way and indulge in self-care.
• When faced with an unpleasant or frustrating incident, teach your child how to react in a positive way and deal with the situation.
• If you do seem to get angry about a particular situation, give yourself a timeout and show your child how you distract your mind for some time to handle the problem at hand better.

Savannah Vincze, a mother and writer, emphasizes the impact of parents’ emotions and actions on children. Sharing an experience with her son, she says, “As a brand new mom, I remember becoming hyper-aware of how my temperament affected my child. I noticed that when I would start to feel anxious or stressed, it only exacerbated his frustrations. It was unfamiliar to be shown the full impact of my behaviors, and it was also eye-opening. This kind of accountability forges new paths. This magnifying glass of motherhood helped me to see just how impactful your outward presence affects not only you but those around you (i).”

2. Accept and recognize your child’s emotions

Image: Shutterstock

Understand your child’s emotions and never make fun of them, in front of him or others (3).

• Your child’s display of emotions will help him inculcate self-control strategies and also express himself in a better way.

• When your child learns to deal with his emotions, he will learn to accept his behavior and understand how to function better.

Experts say

Between ages 6 and 8 years, children begin to seek independence, think about their future, and find new ways to express themselves. Parents should regularly communicate with their children to understand their interests and provide support and motivation when needed (8).

3. Empathize with your child

When you empathize with your child, it will make him feel secure and develop self-confidence.

• Empathizing with your child will teach him that his emotions are important and are nothing to be ashamed of or hide.

• Your child may have done poorly in something and be feeling bad about it. Empathizing with him will teach him that he does not always have to be perfect, and it is fine.

4. Let your child communicate freely

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The key to self-awareness, overall growth, and emotional development in children is good communication that is honest and open.

• Encourage your child to communicate freely with you.

• Let him express his thoughts clearly and without worrying about what you will think.

• Appreciate the fact that he talks to you about what he feels and tell him that you are happy he discusses things with you.

• Even if you do not agree fully with what he says, do not ridicule his opinion, as it may affect his self-esteem. Instead, guide him gently in a positive way.

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5. Pay attention, be a listener, and teach effective problem solving

Make sure you give enough attention to your child and are a good listener.

• When you shower your attention on your child, it will make him feel loved and wanted, and his sense of self-worth will also reach a high.
• Help your child to understand how to respond to and not react in certain situations. It is fine if your child loses his cool and bursts out in anger or tears of frustration. Accept it as his natural reaction. However, help him find a better way to deal with the same situation next time.
• Once he does so, make sure you appreciate him for his courage and help him with self-perception to understand the difference.

6. Encourage them to practice yoga and meditation

Introducing yoga and meditation to children is a fantastic way to boost their self-awareness. Yoga and meditation are special tools to be with oneself. With yoga, they learn about their bodies through easy and fun movements. Meditation helps them stay calm and quiet. You can also practice deep breathing exercises with them, where you can close your eyes and focus on your breath. This exercise will help kids become more aware and attuned to their thoughts and feelings. These kinds of mindfulness activities and games for kids teach them how to handle their feelings and stress, building a positive picture of themselves. Starting these practices early in life provides them with lifelong skills for staying emotionally healthy and understanding themselves, creating a solid foundation for their well-being. These practices always help them navigate challenges with a sense of calm and self-assurance.

Image: Shutterstock

Infographic: How To Promote Self-Awareness Skill In Children?

Self-awareness is a learned trait that teaches a child to be cautious about their actions and behavior. It also helps children determine the impact of their actions. The following infographic highlights ways to promote this vital skill in children effectively.

Illustration: Momjunction Design Team

Illustration: Tips On How To Improve Your Child&039s Self-Awareness?

Image: Stable Diffusion/MomJunction Design Team

A fun and interactive video teaching kids about self-awareness. It helps them understand and connect with their emotions, thoughts, and actions, promoting personal growth and emotional intelligence.

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Reviewer Author Editor Fact Checker

Shreshtha DharM.A, M.Phil

Shreshtha Dhar is a licensed Clinical Psychologist with a professional experience of around seven years. Presently, she operates her private practice, Thought Craft, based out of Kolkata. She has special interest in the emotional and behavioral issues of both children and adults.

Read full bio of Shreshtha Dhar

Sagari GongalaBSc, PG Diploma (Psychological Counseling)

Sagari was a math graduate and studied counseling psychology in postgraduate college, which she used to understand people better. Her interest in reading about people made her take up articles on kids and their behavior. She was meticulous in her research and gave information that could be of help to parents in times of need.

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Harshita MakvanaB.Com, PG Dip

Harshita is a graduate in commerce and holds a PG Diploma in Patent and Copyrights Law from NALSAR University. She has also pursued CA and has more than three years of internship experience in auditing. Her love for travelling has taken her to various parts of the world, and writing the travelogues was what brought out her love for content writing.

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Apoorva KMSc (Counseling Psychology)

Apoorva is a certified psychological counselor and NLP practitioner. The assistant professor-turned-writer believes that her experience as a teacher, psychologist, and researcher enables her to guide MomJunction readers on child development and mental health.

Read full bio of Apoorva K