Accepting your child just as they are – what does this mean?

The unconditional acceptance we receive in childhood is the foundation of our future self-esteem and self-confidence. Only when a child understands  that mistakes are not catastrophic (despite the mistake they still deserve unconditional acceptance) they are able to take risks, actively act in life, face future challenges, overcome difficulties.

Showing unconditional acceptance means looking with empathy and compassion on the child’s experiences. This is difficult, especially when we lose patience and are disappointed with their behavior. Remember that the start of acceptance is the acceptance we show towards ourselves. We can accept anger, irritation, and all our damning thoughts, but we don’t have to follow them, just as we accept a child even though we don’t approve of their behavior.

Acceptance is the foundation of self-esteem in childhood and adulthood.