Foundation for Child's Achievement: Self-Esteem

If you were born later than the 70’s, the word “self-esteem” is almost unheard of. Almost all homes are ruled by autocratic parents who impose rules into their children without considering the what we now refer to as “self-esteem.” It seems that many children who were raised that way resented it.

But things change dramatically after that period. Parents, in the last few decades, the doctrine of self-esteem suddenly invaded every home. It teaches that parents should help develop their child’s self-esteem by making him feel loved and valued. Because of this belief, parents became indiscriminate. They shower their children with love, support, and encouragement no matter what their children do.

With the doctrine of the development of self-esteem in children also comes the advocacy of “unconditional love” which is, according to “experts,” are intertwined to each other. But since the 1970’s something went missing in the equation of the self-esteem formula. Now, we have to the realization that providing children with “unconditional love” does not automatically achieve the results we want for our children.

What we really wanted for our children is for them to develop a competence and master the world they move in. They must have the basic knowledge that anything they do has a consequence and that they matter. This is the missing and often neglected ingredient in most homes today.

As parents we want our children to grow with a developed competence in how they deal with challenges that this world offers. We want them to achieve the things that they are worth and deserve. This is only possible if we have set the right environment for them to develop their self-esteem by making sure that they receive the right love, encouragement, and support and by allowing them to learn life-skills and use them for their own defined success.

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As a Parent Voter

As the election fever comes to its height with just a few days before the election, I did some contemplation of my role in this political exercise. As a parent, this is not just an exercise of a right. This is an opportunity to secure a better future for my children.

Being a mother, most of my plans and activities center around providing a good future for my children. I want them to successfully function in a society that is supportive of their development as human beings. The democratic process of choosing our leaders is important for me so that my children are assured of a good future in this country.

I believe that what I will outline here, will be my sentiment every election period. Generally, I want a government that is a combination of both old and young leaders. Elderly leaders are laden with experience and have accumulated practical wisdom to align the radical ideologies and relentless energy of the young ones.

As a parent voter, I am particularly interested with candidates who have the following advocacy:

1. Educational Reforms. I want my children to receive quality education comparable to those being enjoyed by children in developed countries.

2. Economic Development. Soon, my children will be joining the labor force as professionals or skilled workers, or may become entrepreneurs. I want them to have fair opportunity in uplifting their economic status.

3. Environmental Protection. I want my children to live in a community where economic development works in harmony with nature. I want them to enjoy what remains of the beauty of the natural world.

4. Peace and security. I want for my children a country where the rule of law and respect for human dignity is hardwired into the hearts and minds its citizenry.

5. Moral Recovery. As I raise my children to become morally upright individuals, may this country through its leaders also promote societal moral responsibility.

A candidate may not be able to advocate all of these, but at least he is committed in any one of them.

God bless the Philippines!

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Getting Back

It's more than 3 years since I mad a post on this blog. I really had no intention of updating this anymore, but I still wanted to write. During the years that I had no update, I did a lot of things to make myself a better person and a better a parent. The last time I posted something here, my eldest just turned 1. Now, she is 3 and I have a new baby girl who just turned 1.

I will now continue sharing all the things that I am learning as a parent. I will also make use of this blog to express my opinions abut current events that concern me as a parent.

I have read books, attended seminars, went back to school during the last three years. I took up units in Education, primarily to become a good tutor for my kids. But now, I am entering a career in education as a secondary school teacher. I am currently enrolled in a graduate study. I have also learned many things about parenthood and child-rearing.

I now have a clearer picture of how I will raise my kids to become successful and happy at the same time. Many of them are just ideas and theories, but I believe that these ideas are worthy of application. Most of them are products of experiences of other people who had been successful in raising their own kids or have observed the best practices of parenthood.

I am happy with the things that are going on in my life today. I know that it will not be always the same. But whatever life throws on me, I'll take every step of the way a learning experience that I can used to make myself a better person for my family and the community.

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