Title: Developing Your Child's Healthy Self-identity | HuffPost Life
Headings: Developing Your Child's Healthy Self-identity
Developing Your Child's Healthy Self-identity
Inoculate Your Children Against Media's Messages
Emphasize Healthy Values
Highlight Your Children's Intrinsic Passions and Strengths
Keep Your Children Grounded in Reality
Have Your Children Involved in Healthy Activities
Walk the Walk on a Healthy Self-identity
Create a Healthy Family Lifestyle
Talk and Listen to Your Children
Focus on Others

Content: Create a Healthy Family Lifestyle
Your children will base much of their self-identity on their most immediate environment. If your family life is informed by healthy values, choices, activities, and relationships, they are more likely to internalize those messages as their own. Surround Your Children With Healthy People
You can surround your children with healthy people in their immediate social world who support everything that goes into the development of a positive self-identity. These healthy messages will not only prime your children to think, feel and behave in beneficial ways, but they will also provide consistent exposure to contrasting healthy perspectives that can mitigate the influence from media. Talk and Listen to Your Children
Your children have a tremendous capacity to communicate with you about what is happening in their lives, both the good and not so good. Unfortunately, they're often speaking in a language that parents don't understand. If you listen to their messages, verbal, emotional and behavioral, you'll be better able to hear what they're trying to tell you, particularly when they're asking for help. Also, don't be afraid to talk to your children, especially on topics that make you uncomfortable or they may not want to hear. Though they may not always seem like they're listening, your children want your guidance and support because they know that they can't go it alone and they need you are on their side. Focus on Others
The one form of externalization of self-identity that is healthy is when your children direct their focus and energies onto helping others.