Self Esteem in Girls

Self esteem is an important value in the life of any human being. Unfortunately, it is seldom a distinguishing quality of a woman. Women may have emerged victorious in almost all the fields, however, when it comes to self esteem, women lose miserably. Low self esteem is the main reason why in spite of their brilliant achievements in all the fields, women cannot stand for what is rightfully theirs. The root cause of low self esteem lies in the way women are brought up. Since childhood, women experience a discrimination in all walks of life. This inferior treatment given to them makes them vulnerable to low self esteem in later life. Building self esteem in girls during childhood itself is imperative, if you want to see your daughter grow up into a strong and proud woman.

Causes of Low Self Esteem in Girls
There are several causes of low self esteem in girls. Unfortunately we, as parents, are ourselves responsible for fostering the feeling of low self esteem in girls. Unjust comparisons with male siblings or friends, criticism, lack of appreciation on accomplishments can all result in low self esteem in girls. Another major reason for low self esteem is that young girls are extremely conscious of their physical appearance and expect their bodies to be absolutely perfect. Any imperfection in physical appearance, shatters their confidence and results in extreme depression. As many as 60% girls are dissatisfied with their bodies and 20-40% girls begin dieting at the age of 10. Moreover, these young girls are often confronted with teen issues like teen dating and sexual relationships. It is only obvious that their young bodies and minds cannot deal with stress resulting from such issues, which eventually results in depression. Low self esteem is the final outcome when the body becomes the barometer of self worth.

Developing Self Esteem in Girls
Steps for developing self esteem in girls should be taken from childhood itself. There are many things you can do for improving self esteem in girls. The first thing that needs to be done is, explain to your child that physical appearance has little to do with a person's true worth in society. Emphasize on her young mind that, the models on the magazine covers are not the barometers of one's body type. Appreciate the good qualities in your child and avoid unfair comparisons with her peers. Assign her some daring and courageous tasks, often meant for boys, and then reward her on accomplishing them (just be careful about the jobs you are assigning her). Do not restrict her privileges or take away her liberty, particularly if you are offering the same to her male siblings. Inculcate in her young mind, the importance of values such as equality, self esteem, standing for one's rights etc. Another important thing to be done is to prevent her from going on fad diets or becoming obsessed with her looks.

Self esteem and self improvement go hand in hand. Self esteem is a value that truly determines the worth of a person in society. Self esteem in girls is of immense importance if we wish to see a society free from male domination and truly based on the fundamentals of equality.