Our children are emotionally vulnerable, looking for ways to seek our approvals and attention. The best way they know that they have our approval is when we affirm them. Affirming your child boost his or her self esteem and self confidence. Most times we focus on what they are not doing right. Lets also focus on the right things they are doing. Lets also appreciate the good intentions or motive for some of their actions. There are different ways we can affirm our children , I will highlight five major points.

1) Using their love language , this is the way they respond to love. Children are not the same, each child is unique you have to study them individually to know their individual love language.it could be words of praise, physical touch , giving of gifts, acts of service or spending quality time.

2) Be specific with your affirmations. Let them know the specific behaviour or action you are affirming. Do not be generic e.g “well done John” or “you are a good boy”. Instead you could say “you did a great job with your home work” or “I love the way you laid your bed”

3) You can affirm them publicly, this is to boost their self esteem .

4) You can affirm your child by writing short notes or messages and keeping them in their school notes, lunch bags or even under their pillows or in the pocket of their school uniforms.

5) Be descriptive of how you feel when they have done a great act or even the good intention behind the activity. E.g “you make me proud each time i see you playing with your younger ones”. Or “I get excited each time its your turn to make lunch because of your creativity”. So how are you going to affirm your child today?

You can send an email to oluwatoyin@oluwatoyinogunkanmi.com for more information or tips on parenting @oluwatoyinogunkanmi