Eek! Let's Build Children's Self-esteem!

As parents or grandparents, we often believe we have to "rescue" our kids from failure. However, for a child to build confidence, they have to take chances, make choices and take responsibility for them. I have always found that if left to their own resources, my kids have solved their own problems. Let them know you are there to offer support or guidance should it be needed, and share with them a more positive way of looking at life's escapades.

I grew interested in writing a children's book about those struggles in childhood that could be perceived as failure. Often, they are actually a golden opportunity to help build self-esteem, and adventure into self-discovery.

In Eek! My Ink! a young girl takes out her paints and brushes, intending on painting her masterpiece. But instead of creating her intended images, the paints accidentally spill and splash and dribble. Oh, no! But, look! That yellow drip created a duck waddling toward a field of sun splashed sunflowers. And the blue paint splotches create a sea of fish! You get the idea. There are no true "mistakes". Sometimes those seeming "mistakes" are treasures, and can lead a young child toward a deeper sense of self-esteem and loving acceptance.

The simple moral? Encourage your kids to try things their own way, and set appropriate goals. Let them get messy if they want, and find their talents and the sparks that light up their hearts.

Eek! My Ink!