Your Questions About Self-Esteem, Answered

How do you help your child feel confident in who they are — without creating pressure to be perfect or the best at everything?In this Q&A episode, Dr. Dave Anderson answers thoughtful questions from listeners about how to support self-esteem in kids and teens. Building healthy self-worth isn’t just about praise — it’s about helping young people feel capable, valued, and grounded even when life is hard or they fall short.Drawing from clinical insight and everyday parenting strategies, Dr. Anderson tackles common concerns around negative self-talk, comparison, perfectionism, and how to model healthy self-esteem as an adult.Topics CoveredHow to build kids’ confidence without making them feel entitledWhat to do when your child says “I’m stupid” or “I hate myself”Helping kids avoid harmful social media comparisonsEncouraging risk-taking when kids are afraid to failSupporting kids when they hear something unkind from a peerKnowing the difference between low self-esteem and a rough patchWhat to do when a child’s self-esteem depends on one area (like sports)Moving beyond achievement as a source of prideHow to support perfectionists without reinforcing pressureWhy how you talk about yourself matters — and how to model healthy self-worthResources MentionedFind expert tips and tools for supporting kids’ self-esteem in our show notes at childmind.org/podcast🎧 Subscribe to the Thriving Kids Podcast for weekly episodes on parenting, mental health, and child development.💬 Got a question you’d like Dr. Anderson to answer in a future Q&A? Submit it at childmind.org/podcast