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Motivational Monday…One of the Best Gifts You Can Give Your Child

By Kathy Streib

Home Stager

August 17, 2026 04:30 AM

Motivational Monday…One of the Best Gifts
You Can Give Your Child

We had a small family gathering this weekend to celebrate Raffe’s birthday. While I love our big family gatherings, the smaller group allowed me to spend more time with the kids.

Mini-me is now about ½ inch taller than I am and at the age when peer pressure can take its toll. Last week was her first day of middle school. She was worried that she wouldn’t have anyone to eat lunch with. Would she make new friends?

The night before her first day, we talked. My advice…be yourself! We all love who you are!!

You are valuable simply because you exist.
Max Lucado

As it turns out, she ended up having lunch with several new friends!

Listening to everyone this weekend only reinforced my belief in the importance of helping young people develop a healthy self-esteem.

Every adult in the family listens to each child and is happy to hear about their activities and what they’re doing.

Feeling confident in who you are makes it easier to stand your ground when others pressure you to do things you don’t want to do. Want more tips on how you can help with a child’s self-esteem?

To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

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Kat Palmiotti

eXp Commercial, Referral Divison - Kalispell, MT

Helping your Montana dreams take root

Helping kids believe in themselves and find confidence..... priceless.

Aug 17, 2026 05:04 AM

Kathy Streib

Cypress, TX

Kathy Streib

Kat Palmiotti I agree. I'm afraid many of the helicopter parents I see are not doing that.

Aug 17, 2026 02:08 PM

Wayne Martin

Wayne M Martin - Oswego, IL

Real Estate Broker - Retired

Good morning Kathy. Ralph Waldo Emerson is oe of my favorite authors. He seems to nail it every time. With you as a counselor, mini-me has it under control. Enjoy your day.

Aug 17, 2026 05:22 AM

Kathy Streib

Cypress, TX

Kathy Streib

Wayne Martin I love his words!!! I hope some things rub off on her.

Aug 17, 2026 02:10 PM

Nina Hollander, Broker

Coldwell Banker Realty - Charlotte, NC

Your Greater Charlotte Real Estate Broker

Good morning, Kathy... encouraging children to be themselves and to believe in themselves is just so important for their self-esteem. Pretty soon, mini-me will be calling you mini-me! :)

Aug 17, 2026 05:30 AM

Kathy Streib

Cypress, TX

Kathy Streib

Nina Hollander, Broker It's so important for children to feel comfortable saying "no." Mini-me's brothers are already taller than their uncles!

Aug 17, 2026 02:50 PM

Sham Reddy CRS

Howard Hanna RE Services, Dayton, OH - Dayton, OH

CRS

Great advice Kathy!!! I always keep that in mind!!!

Feeling confident in who you are makes it easier to stand your ground when others pressure you to do things you don’t want to do.

Aug 17, 2026 05:39 AM

Kathy Streib

Cypress, TX

Kathy Streib

Sham Reddy CRS I can remember how hard it was when I was younger. You don't want to be the odd person out.

Aug 17, 2026 02:51 PM

Lawrence & Sheila Agranoff

Charles Rutenberg Realty 255 Executive Dr, Plainview NY 11803 - crrli.com. We are Lic. Assoc. Broker/Lic. RE Salesperson - Plainview, NY

Listing & Selling Long Island Real Estate

Kathy, helping children believe in themselves and know their worth is truly one of the greatest gifts we can give them.

Aug 17, 2026 05:52 AM

Kathy Streib

Cypress, TX
Lawrence & Sheila Agra...

Plainview, NY

Kathy Streib

Lawrence & Sheila Agranoff I see parents who either hover and don't allow their children to grow or those who don't support their children. It's sad.

Aug 17, 2026 03:01 PM

Joan Cox, Retired Broker/Owner

Denver, CO

Enjoying Every Day to Its Fullest!

Kathy, those first days of school can be so tramatic, and glad mini-me had a good day!

Aug 17, 2026 06:04 AM

Kathy Streib

Cypress, TX

Kathy Streib

Joan Cox, Retired Broker/Owner I remember when I went from my parochial school to the public school near our home. I wanted to go to be with the neighborhood kids but it was still scary.

Aug 17, 2026 03:02 PM

Brian England

Ambrose Realty Management LLC - Gilbert, AZ

MBA, GRI, REALTOR® Real Estate in East Valley AZ

I love the close relationship you have with your family. How old is Raffe now? Happy belated birthday to him!

Aug 17, 2026 06:25 AM

Kathy Streib

Cypress, TX

Kathy Streib

Brian England can you believe he's 9! Very athletic too. I stood in the backyard to watch him kick the soccer ball to the imaginary goal.

Aug 17, 2026 03:03 PM

Elyse Berman, PA

LoKation Real Estate - Boca Raton, FL

Boca Raton FL (561) 716-7824

Hi Kathy, Mini me is lucky she has you to give her such good advice. And you're blessed to have such a large family.

Aug 17, 2026 06:51 AM

Kathy Streib

Cypress, TX
Roy Kelley

Gaithersburg, MD

Kathy Streib

Elyse Berman, PA Thank you. I agree. Family is incredibly important.

Aug 17, 2026 03:03 PM

Jeffrey DiMuria 321.223.6253 Waves Realty

Waves Realty - Melbourne, FL

Florida Space Coast Homes

Pressure in school can be so difficult (more on girls than boys I think). As a guy, I could just look for a basketball game that had nine guys...they would ask me to join...lol

Aug 17, 2026 07:16 AM

Kathy Streib

Cypress, TX

Kathy Streib

Jeffrey DiMuria 321.223.6253 Waves Realty Little girls and older ones can be cliquey and catty. They're looking at what you're wearing, etc.

Aug 17, 2026 03:04 PM

Roy Kelley

Retired - Gaithersburg, MD

Good Monday morning, Kathy. Most of the young people in my family live in other states. I have never met many of them.

Aug 17, 2026 07:56 AM

Kathy Streib

Cypress, TX

Kathy Streib

Roy Kelley That's hard to imagine. That said, I haven't seen my cousins with whom I grew up, for many years. They all stayed in CA after going to USC.

Aug 17, 2026 03:07 PM

Carol Williams

Although I'm retired, I enjoy sharing my knowledge and learning from other real estate industry professionals. - Wenatchee, WA

Author, Golfer, Traveler, Retired, Wenatchee, WA

Hi Kathy,
I love your advice.
I lived most of my teen years living the way others expected me to. College was such a freeing experience because I could be myself. That is when I started creating my own path.

Aug 17, 2026 08:26 AM

Kathy Streib

Cypress, TX

Kathy Streib

Carol Williams I was never a rebel or anything but did what I wanted. It served me well one year in grad school when my "group therapy" class wanted to smoke something other than a cigarette (in class).

Aug 17, 2026 05:00 PM

George Souto

George Souto NMLS #65149 - Middletown, CT

Your Connecticut Mortgage Expert

Kathy my granddaughter entered Middle School last year, and had the same concerns as you mini-me. We also gave her very similar advice to yours, and she quickly made new friends.

Aug 17, 2026 11:18 AM

Kathy Streib

Cypress, TX

Kathy Streib

George Souto I'll bet your Sunday Facetime calls helped with her self esteem!!!!

Aug 17, 2026 05:01 PM

Will Hamm

Hamm Homes - Aurora, CO

"Where There's a Will, There's a Way!"

Hello Kathy, I wish my grandkids lived out here in Denver but I do fly them in every year. They are so special to me.

Aug 17, 2026 12:30 PM

Kathy Streib

Cypress, TX

Kathy Streib

Will Hamm That is so sweet that you do. Is your granddaughter still in college near you??

Aug 17, 2026 05:01 PM

Dorie Dillard Austin TX

Coldwell Banker Apex Realtors, LLC ~ 512.750.6899 - Austin, TX

Educating. Encouraging. Serving.

Good afternoon Kathy,

I love the advice you gave mini-me yesterday. I was at my son's house yesterday afternoon for a BBQ for Becketts 12 birthday and it was so good to have a small family gathering so we could talk. The kids were at camp for 2 weeks and came home and left for Hawaii for 11 days so I haven't seen them! It was fun to hear all about camp and the new friends they made mixed in with some old friends. Beckett starts school this week and also has volleyball team tryouts and already had cheerleading tryouts! She's been already able to connect with some friends so the first day of school won't be so daunting but it doesn't mean there won't be some butterfly's in her tummy!

Aug 17, 2026 12:52 PM

Kathy Streib

Cypress, TX

Kathy Streib

Dorie Dillard Austin TX I'm so happy you got to spend time with Hunter and Beckett. Her two older brothers keep her on her toes, thank goodness. She's slow to get into sports but has done some cheerleading and gymnastics. Her "thing" now is sewing!

Aug 17, 2026 05:07 PM

Sharon Tara

Sharon Tara Transformations - Portsmouth, NH

Retired New Hampshire Home Stager

Sounds like she has a wonderful family supporting her and that makes all the difference!

Aug 17, 2026 02:27 PM

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