Young children are constantly absorbing the input that they are receiving. They hear many voices and messages but none is so important as yours.

1. SELF-ESTEEM CHECKLIST
FOR PRESCHOOLERS (AND PARENTS!)

2. HOW TO USE THIS CHECKLIST:
TALK TO YOUR CHILD ABOUT THE ITEMS ON THIS CHECKLIST AND OPEN THEM UP ABOUT THEMSELVES.
WHILE YOU ARE DOING THAT, THINK ABOUT WHICH THINGS THAT YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO HONESTLY SAY
“YES” ABOUT AND WHICH ONES YOU WOULD HAVE TO SAY “NO” ABOUT IF YOU WERE BEING
TRUTHFUL.YOUR OWN CONFIDENCE AND SELF-ESTEEM IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT FOR YOUR CHILD. YOU
ARE MODELING HOW TO FEEL ABOUT ONESELF, AS WELL AS HOW TO NAVIGATE THE WORLD.
NO MATTER WHAT, DO NOT DIMINISH WHAT YOUR CHILD SAYS DURING THIS EXERCISE. IF THEY SAY THAT
THEY DO NOT FEEL A CERTAIN WAY ABOUT THEMSELVES, TELLING THEM THAT THEY SHOULD NOT FEEL
THAT WAY IS REALLY NOT HELPFUL AND WILL ONLY TEACH THEM NOT TO SHARE. IT IS MORE IMPORTANT
TO TALK ABOUT WHY THEY FEEL THAT WAY… AND HELP THEM TO ADJUST THEIR SELF-IMAGE, IF
NECESSARY.

3. I LIKE MYSELF.
YES
NO
SOMETIMES

4. I LIKE THE WAY THAT I LOOK.
YES
NO
SOMETIMES

5. I AM SMART AND MY IDEAS
MATTER.
YES
NO
SOMETIMES

6. PEOPLE LIKE ME.
YES
NO
SOMETIMES

7. I KNOW THAT I AM SPECIAL.
YES
NO
SOMETIMES

8. I ENJOY NEW THINGS.
YES
NO
SOMETIMES

9. I AM PROUD TO BE ME.
YES
NO
SOMETIMES

10. IT IS OK TO ASK FOR HELP
WHEN I NEED IT.
YES
NO
SOMETIMES

11. THE GOAL
OF COURSE, NO ONE FEELS GREAT ABOUT THEMSELVES ALL OF THE TIME. YOUR CHILD WILL HAVE
DAYS WHERE THEY FEEL A LITTLE LESS THAN AWESOME. THEY WILL BE HURT WITH WORDS, THEY WILL
LOSE FRIENDS, HAVE THEIR HEART BROKEN… AND SO ON. HOWEVER, THE REAL GOAL HERE IS TO
TEACH THEM TO BELIEVE IN THEMSELVES ENOUGH THAT THEY CAN BOUNCE BACK.

13. THANKS FOR SPENDING TIME
WITH ME TODAY.
PLEASE LET ME KNOW HOW YOUR CHILD (AND YOU)
FELT ABOUT THIS CHECKLIST. REMEMBER, THAT
YOUR CHILD IS A WORK IN PROGRESS AND THE
MORE THAT YOU LEARN ABOUT THEM, THE BETTER
ABLE YOU WILL BE TO PARENT THEM.