27 Seconds

A few weeks ago I walked into a local coffee shop behind three young ladies.  I am guessing they were around 12-14 years old and clearly coming from some sort of dance/ballet class.  As I listened to them order their lunch, I had a pit in my stomach.  “I’ll just have the fruit cup,” said one.  Another, “Can I have the chicken bacon avocado wrap without bacon, avocado or mayo?”  The last, “Just a large iced coffee please.”

It broke my heart to see these beautiful kids feel it necessary to eat so little just to fit the mold of society.  If nothing else, Caitlyn Jenner reinforced how our media portrays women.  Nearly every news outlet commented how on beautiful she was.  There was no talk about anything other than her looks.

By definition, self-esteem is the way in which an individual perceives themself.  In other words, their own thoughts and feelings about their ability to achieve in ways that are important to them. This self-esteem is shaped not only by a child’s own perceptions and expectations, but also by the perceptions and expectations of significant people in their life-how they are thought of and treated by parents, teachers and friends.

Please take the time to watch this very powerful video.

Below are a few links on how help kids boost self-esteem.

• Raising a Powerful Girl
• The Whole Child
• How to Build Healthy Self-Esteem in Children

Now that schools are on the verge of turning to summer vacation, what a great opportunity to spend quality time talking about these issues.

be well-