On many occasions there is a very fine line between being selfish and having self love. And even, it is possible that others will confuse you. But between these concepts there are very significant differences, since the selfish person only thinks of himself. Conversely, the person who has self-love, puts himself before the rest but others do not stop thinking.
It is very important that children learn to have self-love, because loving yourself is the first step to living a full life and full of happiness. Because many people forget it, but the first love that must be fostered is the one that one feels for oneself. That does not mean that your children are going to be selfish, that they can hurt to have self-love or that they are not going to be empathetic.
On the contrary, teaching children to have self-love is the best way to make sure they know how to value and respect themselves. So that in this way, your self-confidence is always reinforced. So that they trust themselves and can fight for what they want, knowing what they are capable of doing. However, it is very important that you teach them to differentiate self-love from selfishness, so that they do not cross that fine line to which we were referring.
What is self love
Self-love is accepting yourself, respect yourself by being aware of your strengths as well as your shortcomings. This is something that is achieved through work, because positive thoughts are what help you to love yourself. To value everything you are and everything you have to contribute to the rest of the world. Because if you stop loving yourself, if you punish yourself with negative thoughts towards yourself, you stop seeing all the good that is in you and therefore, you stop demanding that other people value you as you deserve.
In no case does self-love depend on your relationship with people that surrounds you. Loving and valuing yourself, knowing how to recognize all your worth and everything you can contribute to other people, that is self-love. Therefore, it is very important that children learn this value from a very young age. Because in this way, they will be able to assert themselves, they will be able to eliminate from their lives people who do not treat them as they deserve. And with this, they will be able to live a full life, not only accepting themselves, but also others.
Guidelines for teaching children self-love
Having self-love also consists of being in solidarity, in have empathy with others and the ability to listen to others. Because the value towards oneself does not mean to stop valuing others. Therefore, it is very important to teach children to have self-love without falling into selfishness. These are some guidelines to start with, but remember, self-acceptance, the self-esteem and self-love are values that must be worked with care throughout life.
- Accept criticism: Self-love is achieved through work on yourself and to improve in those aspects in which it lacks. For this, it is necessary to know how to listen to others, accept criticism in order to improve.
- Have empathy: For put yourself in the place of others, because thinking about yourself in the first place does not mean stopping thinking about others.
- Be supportive and generous: Children must learn to be generous without expecting recognition in return, that is, to be supportive. The opposite would be selfishness, so sharing snacks with other children or toys with siblings should always be an act of generosity, without expecting a reward In return.
- Know how to forgive yourself: Having self-esteem also depends on accept mistakes and allow yourself to fail, because only then can they learn to forgive themselves and therefore forgive others.
- Having self love does not mean always being the best: this is something very important that should be instilled in children, it is not the same to seek the best version of yourself than always seeking to be the best among all others.
With a strong self-esteem and well-instilled values, children will be able to value, love and respect themselves and what is more important, give oneself to be valued towards others.