When children come to school, they learn much about essential subjects like writing, math, science, reading and social studies. They also learn the proper boundaries of behavior. How to be a friend, how to play happily, how to communicate with adults, how to apologize after making a poor choice and many other social behaviors. Along the way, we strive at school and at home to give our kids self-control and self-esteem.
Laura Padilla-Walker, a School of Family Life associate professor at BYU says that self-control is the ability to manage thoughts and emotions so we can become strong people, solve problems and control impulses. The key to teaching self-control is to avoid enabling bad behaviors and instead allow children to face the consequences of their own behaviors (both good and bad) in a loving and supportive environment. Helping students build self-esteem goes beyond praise, says Padilla-Walker. Our children “need to overcome challenges with effort, such as earning a good grade on a tough test they had to study hard for.” In fact, she says “excessive praise can backfire, resulting in a child who is unable to muster motivation without the promise of external rewards. And giving excessive praise, gifts, or money for meeting expectations can take away the internal joy of achievement.”
As we experience this last month of 2016, we hope to celebrate with you the joys of seeing our children grow in knowledge, in social skills, self-control and self-esteem. May the joys of this season be sweeter because the children you’ve entrusted to us are on their way to becoming grown-ups able to conquer the enormous challenges of our world.
Tod Cracroft, Principal
Becki Monson, Assistant Principal