Mister Rogers' Neighborhood offers a double message: we all share some hopes and feelings, yet each human being is unique. When children can appreciate how they are like others and how they are unique, they are more likely to feel good about themselves -- and they're more likely to accept differences in others.

In the Neighborhood of Make-Believe stories, each puppet character is valued -- from the shy Daniel to the mischievous Lady Elaine Fairchilde. Through the rich variety of personalities in Make-Believe, children can know that each person has a valuable place in this world.

Musical Messages for Self-Esteem

The Neighborhood songs are an important way to help children with their feelings about themselves:

• feelings about their bodies: "Everybody's Fancy...your body's fancy and so is mine!"
• feelings about their relationships with others: "It's the People You Like the Most who can make you feel happiest...and maddest": "There are many ways to say I love you"
• feelings about being bad or good: "Good People Sometimes Do Bad Things...once in a while we do"
• feelings about growing and changing: "I'm Still Myself Inside" "You're Growing"
• feelings about anger: "What Do You Do"
• and knowing that whatever you're feeling is acceptable: "It's You I like...even when you're feeling blue"

When child-care providers use these songs, the positive messages can have even more benefit because children hear them from people whose love and approval are important to them. (I'm proud of you).

Silence

Most people don't think of offering silence as an essential part of communicating self-esteem, but it is. Mister Rogers' Neighborhood purposefully leaves a lot of silence, respecting what children bring to the visit.

Listen for all the questions Mister Rogers asks, like "Did you ever feel like that?" and "What do you think will happen?"...and all the time he leaves for children to think and to answer. Even though he can't hear their responses, he understands that children need to know that people value their thoughts and ideas and feelings.

The Closing Message

Mister Rogers usually ends each program saying, "You've made this a special day by just your being you. There's only one person in the whole world like you, and people can like you exactly as you are." That message is just as important for child-care providers as for children.

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