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Self-esteem is a powerful predictor of success, but the daily struggles of learning disabilities (LD) can erode a child’s positive vision of themselves. But don’t despair: as a parent, there is a lot you can do to help your child develop positive self-esteem. Be sure to check out Your Child’s Social and Emotional Skills on LD.org and use these further resources to help you get your child on track.20 Tips to Promote Positive Self-Esteem: LD expert Rick Lavoie offers twenty tips to help foster self-esteem in children with LD.
Eye to Eye: Eye to Eye helps children with LD and AD/HD build self-esteem and self-advocacy skills by pairing them with college student mentors who have dealt with the challenges of LD and AD/HD in their own lives. Visit Eye to Eye’s website to find a program near you.
Learning Disabilities and AD/HD: A Family Guide to Living and Learning Together by Betty Osman (1997, Wiley): Raising a child with LD can be tough, but this comprehensive guide by NCLD Professional Advisory Board member Dr. Betty Osman offers expert guidance and insight into helping your child develop self-esteem and social skills at school and in the home.
Learning Disabilities and Self-Esteem: Look What You’ve Done! (video): This video, hosted by LD expert Dr. Robert Brooks, offers practical strategies for helping children with LD develop the confidence and resilience they will need to succeed, focusing on the need to find each child’s “island of competence” and then building on those strengths.
Life Success for Children with Learning Disabilities: A Parent Guide: This publication by California’s Frostig Center walks parents through the six success attributes for children with LD and provides steps to help parents guide their children in developing these qualities.
Raising Resilient Children: Fostering Strength, Hope, and Optimism in Your Child by Robert Brooks and Sam Goldstein (2002, McGraw Hill): Children with LD can face many challenges and setbacks that can damage their self-esteem. In this book, find out how to harness your child’s strengths to foster their positive self-esteem and equip them to successfully confront challenges and bounce back from difficult experiences.
Search Institute: The Search Institute offers free information and activities to help adults help children and teens enrich the “developmental assets” (like self-esteem, motivation, and healthy friendships) that they need to thrive.
Signs of Low Self-Esteem: Not sure if your child has low self-esteem? This checklist from the American Academy of Pediatrics can help you find out.
Tips for Developing Healthy Self-Esteem in Your Child: Check out the Coordinated Campaign for Learning Disabilities’ top ten tips on helping children with LD develop self-esteem.
The Story on Self-Esteem (for kids): This article from Kids Health explains self-esteem in child-friendly language and offers tips for kids to improve their own self-esteem.
