Q: My child puts himself down and it breaks my heart.

Children live what they learn, and while I’m not saying you are exhibiting poor self-love practices, openly displaying a positive sense of self and strong self esteem could go a long way to show your child that it is okay to be proud of their talents, skills and abilities. Pair this with honest and positive praise for your child.

When your child does feel sad, angry or depressed, communicate openly and patiently with them. Be sure to listen without judging or criticizing. They may not fully understand why they feel the way they do. Suggest, but don’t insist open, positive options as solutions but don’t expect immediate agreeance. Leave the door of communication open so they know they can come to you for help.

Encourage your child to think positively and suggest some alternative phrases he or she can use when expressing difficulties or defeat. For example:

• “I’m not good at this.” - “What am I missing?”

• “I can’t make this any better.” - “I can always improve so I’ll keep trying.”

• “I will never be as good as her.” - “I’m going to figure out how she does it so I can try it.”