Confidence Coaching

Have you heard of the self-esteem gap? It’s real and it’s heartbreaking. Maybe you are even seeing this in your child and it’s wearing you down. When your child struggles in school and experiences emotional distress then chances are- so are you! 

Let me offer you hope. I am almost certain that the very things your child is struggling with now will develop them into being who they are meant to be if we can prevent the erosion of their self-esteem. 

The Self-Esteem gap, as it relates to reading, speaks to the disparity in self-confidence and self-perception between students who struggle with reading and their peers who are more proficient readers.

Research says that children who struggle to read are impacted by: academic challenges, social comparisons, negative classroom experiences, limited participation, and emotional trauma. When a child has difficulty decoding words, recognizing sight words, understanding vocabulary, or lacking in comprehension, these challenges can lead to frustration and feelings of incompetence, which can all affect their self-esteem. Think about it: all of those skills are needed throughout the day and in every subject. It’s unlike math, which is a block of time and then over.

Can you imagine what it feels like to be that child in school, always making social comparisons and feeling like their peers effortlessly achieve? Or, feeling reluctant to fully participate because, in doing so, they are reminded of their reading difficulties?

The emotional impact this can have may be reinforced every day for them in some way, which leads to a negative belief about their abilities and further erodes self-esteem. 

Allow me to help by giving your child access to what I’ve created: Positive Self-Talk Modules: Stop, Breathe, and Chill; Our Brains Sometimes Trick Us; and Hello, Sticky Thoughts.