Self-esteem is liking yourself, feeling worthwhile, believing in yourself and knowing what you do well. Self-esteem gives children confidence to: try new things and try again when things don’t go as planned, do things that they might not enjoy or normally be good at and face challenges rather than avoid them. When children try new things, face challenges and bounce back, they learn and grow. This is why self-esteem can be an important part of child development.