The countdown is on till the last day of school. With summer looming around the corner, and those hot days and sticky nights ahead it’s time for a decision. No, I’m not talking about where to go on vacation, or even what the day care situation is going to be. I am talking about making the decision that this summer is the summer that you will raise your child’s Self Esteem. The trick here is making the decision and the commitment even before you know how you will accomplish it. Yes, that’s right. I’m talking to you. You, with the doubts and “yeah rights” going on in your head. You can do this !!!

Are you ready? Take a deep breath, exhale slowly and completely, and say to your self

“My child (children) will go back to school in August with higher self esteem than they are experiencing right now.” (say it two or three times till you really feel it). There you go, it’s decided, and you are committed…Time for the next step. 

Find or make a calendar of the summer months with boxes for each day. Get a colored pen or pencil or several if you really want to get decorative.

Pick ten days where you will spend at least 1 hour doing nothing else but playing with your child. Write the word PLAY in the box.

Pick nine days that you will read to you child for at least 15 minuets.

Write READ in the box.

Pick eight days where you will hug your child four times a day. Write 4HUGS in the box.

Pick seven days where you will make a point of telling your child three things that you love about them (i.e. What I love about you is how kind you are to younger children) Write LOVE in the box. They can tell you what they love about you too!

Pick six days where you ask you child’s opinion about something and really listen to and acknowledge their answer. Write OPINION in the box.

Pick five days where you prepare a meal together letting your child decide on the menu and do as much of the cooking as possible. Write COOK in the box.

Pick four days where you let your child handle money (ex. let them pay for groceries with cash, count your cash back from the bank). Write $$$ in the box.

Pick three days where you do random acts of kindness together. Write KINDNESS in the box.

Pick two days where “They’re the Boss” and they decide what to do together…and you do it. Write BOSS in the box.

Pick one day to dream together and make a list or a poster of what the perfect world would be like. Write DREAM in the box. 

Label your calendar Our Countdown Summer, and share it with your child and hang it where you will see it every day. You or your child can put an X at the end of the day. Even if you don’t accomplish all of the activities, as you begin to do these simple things, my best guess is that your child isn’t the only one who will have higher self-esteem. Have a safe and blessed summer! 

 

For ten years Delene Cole has been Certified Parent Educator and is a National Trainer for International Network for Children and Families. Delene is the Director for the RCB of Tampa Bay team. She and her husband teach Redirecting Children‘s Behavior, Coupleship 101, and personal growth courses through their business Life Enhancement Skills in Madeira Beach Florida.