Nurturing a Positive Sense of Identity in Children
posted on Apr 28, 2023
When was the last time you discussed about a sense of identity with your children? If it was months ago, it is time you resume the conversation for your children’s good. Encouraging a positive sense of identity is vital for developing self-esteem, resilience, and confidence in kids, which eventually helps them develop healthy relationships with others. Sense of identity is influenced by numerous factors, like cultural background, social interactions, family background, life experiences, and more. It is also not a one-time task to instill a positive sense of identity in children, as it requires continuous efforts.
We at Gurukul The School, one of the top schools in ghaziabad, firmly believe that having a positive sense of identity is indeed crucial for enabling kids to grow holistically well. This is, in fact, the reason why we at our school make plenty of efforts to bring kids closer to their true and positive sense of identity. However, we strongly believe that parents also need to actively engage in the process to see faster and better results. If you cannot decide what to talk about to invoke a positive sense of identity in children, try the following tips at home.
- Talk About Your Family’s Heritage
Set aside at least ten minutes regularly to talk to your kids about their family’s heritage. When the conversations are grounded in your family’s identity, kids learn more about their family background in an engaging way. It allows them to feel proud of who they are.
If you’re just starting, we recommend sharing family stories with your kids or simply talking about your family’s values and heritage. Ensure kids are always actively involved in your family’s annual rituals, holiday celebrations, etc., that are important for your family. You can also cook traditional meals together to invoke and nurture their sense of identity.
- Give Your Kids Diverse Media Representations to Read & Watch
At Gurukul The School, we follow this tip religiously. Since every media kids consume affects their thought process, we ensure they are exposed to a diversified media catalog. When kids read, watch movies, listen to music, or consume other media, they understand what and whose stories matter to the world. So kids should spend more time checking people on media who look, sound, and feel like them.
Following this step will make kids understand that they matter, and they will also find a positive role model to follow. However, we recommend every kid should have access to diversified media where they can be cherished and made to feel proud of their identity.
- Always Leave Room for an Open Conversation
Kids are naturally curious, so they consume plenty of online media to find answers. But as parents, you must ensure that the kind of media kids consume is good for developing their self-identity. You can strengthen the messages or values kids learn from exploring digital media only when you follow it with a meaningful conversation. Always take time for kids to engage in a fun yet relevant conversation.
For example, if you notice your kids reading a book that talks about a person going against the stereotypes, take a moment to highlight this visibly for your kids and keep the conversation going. Ask them what new they learned today, what books they are reading, what movies they have watched recently, etc. You can then follow questions around the same and check what they’re learning. It is the best opportunity to correct any wrongful thought process they’ve picked up from media consumption.
- Encourage Things/Activities That Bring Them Joy
Guiding and encouraging kids to explore activities or things that bring them joy is the best way to nurture a positive sense of identity. Kids can derive joy from anything, like wearing a particular dress, doing what they like, or just being in a certain way. You must pay attention to their liking and help them pursue it.
As a parent, your responsibility is to support what your kids explore and emphasize that they have a choice to make certain decisions. Don’t stop them from exploring something because it is attached to age-old stereotypes. It is the best way to let kids develop a positive sense of identity.
Conclusion
At Gurukul The School, one of the top schools in ghaziabad, we don’t leave a chance to talk about a positive sense of identity with our pupils because it helps encourage kids to become accepting and respectful of who they are. It even leads to increased self-confidence and self-esteem. If you want your kids to develop a healthy sense of identity, ensure you follow all the tips shared above.