Unconditional Positive Self Esteem

Raised Strong
Self-esteem is a personality trait that describes a person’s stable overall perception of personal value or self-worth. This is essential to human growth as it affects relationships, a person’s ability to work, and nearly all parts of life. Children’s development of positive self-esteem is extremely important as it allows for character building such as giving the child the chance to improve on mistakes without fearing rejection from peers. Parents have an extensive role in developing children’s self-esteem due to the limited number of outside factors that could affect a child’s opinions and self-evaluation. Through supportive and motivational parenting a child can develop a high self-esteem that causes them to be more successful

“Young adult children who had more nurturing parents tend to have higher implicit self-esteem” (Kaplan 427). Setting up a respecting and nurturing home where no matter what the child’s actions may be they are still accepted is extremely important. A loving home is welcoming and makes a friendly and mutually respected atmosphere where self-esteem can prosper. A Household that involves unconditional positive regard is very important. Unconditional positive regard is a concept introduced by Carl Rogers “it refers to the therapist communicating unqualified love and acceptance of the client, regardless of whether or not the therapist approves of the client 's specific actions” (Reis 1657). Using unconditional positive regard allows children to be loved not for their actions but for them being themselves. When children know they can be themselves it allows their self-esteem to grow in a positive manor because they will not fear rejection from acting in a certain manor. Even though parenting and therapy is very different they are both support groups and share similar guidelines for supporting the patient or child. Rogers’s notions on unconditional positive regard interested researchers and theorist to make simple guidelines for parenting. The guidelines are as follows:
First, it is important to give affection and love unconditionally rather than conditionally, as already described. Second, when making requests, disciplining the target person, or giving positive or negative feedback, focus on the target 's behaviors and the natural consequences of the behaviors and not on the person 's character or worthiness. (Reis