Girls Self Esteem
Adolescence is a confusing stage for most teenagers. People who have gone through this period experience physical, emotional, and mental changes. With all the raging hormones that are involved during adolescence, it is not unusual for teenagers to experience a rollercoaster of emotions. Support from parents is important for teenagers because they can sometimes feel they are different from their peers especially if they are the first ones to physically mature in their class. This fragile stage also involves searching for the group where they can belong to as growing up usually means finding their own sense of identity.
Growing up can be tough for teenagers since most undergo a lot of pressure as they try to fit in with their peers. This is also the stage wherein one's self-esteem is tested. The way teenagers perceive themselves can vary between young men and women more on excelling in different fields including sports to prove their importance. On the other hand, girls are more concerned with their appearance and relationships with other people. It is important to have a strong self esteem in girls during adolescence because having one means you do not have to prove something to other people just to feel accepted.
What is Self-Esteem?
Generally speaking, self-esteem is a person's overall opinion of his or her own value. It involves not just knowing who you are but also accepting your whole persona including your strengths and flaws. Self confidence is often related to self-esteem though the first has something to do more with how assured one feels that she will succeed in a challenging situation.
Factors that Influence girls self esteem
Body Image - Your picture of your own appearance whether it is in a negative or positive light is connected to self-esteem. A girl body image can be influenced by life experiences, cultural background, and the society. For instance, some culture can define beauty in different criteria like complexion, body size, and facial features. A girl bullied by someone just because she is not nice looking can have some effect on the level of that person's self-esteem. Self image and self esteem goes hand-in-hand, making the former an important factor on how girls can feel accepted.
Family Life - Unknown to parents, the attention they give to their children can have an impact on a person's self esteem. It is common for siblings to have different attitudes and characters but constantly comparing is unhealthy. Praising one child and then criticizing the other can reduce the latter's self image. Girls with low self esteem are not also uncommon if they came from a broken home. It should be noted that having a father figure that one can look up to is also crucial for children.
Puberty - As mentioned earlier, adolescent girls are more conscious when it comes to their appearance. Self esteem in girls are affected during the stage of puberty because as the body undergoes physical changes, teenagers cannot help but compare their appearance with other people. Girls may feel embarrassed as their bodies develop faster than their contemporaries. It is thus not uncommon for girls to spend more time in the bathroom to make sure that they always look their best. Girls with low self-esteem sometimes resort to unhealthy eating just to conform to the belief that skinny look is fashionable.
Tips for Healthier girls self esteem
Self esteem girls can be improved with proper approach and support from friends and family. When they reach the stage of adolescence, parents should always maintain an open communication to encourage high self esteem in girls while still give them some room for freedom to explore their individuality. Encouraging them to be comfortable with their personality so that they do not have to feel pressured to conform to some preconceived notions with regards to what's feminine can also improve girls self esteem.
Educators can also play a role in improving self esteem. Books regarding women who exhibited strong characters despite challenges like Helen Keller can also help build self esteem in girls. Finally, they can include in their lesson topics that make students aware that discrimination, bullying, and sexual harassment have negative influences on girls self esteem.
Have a comment or testimony?. Use the form bellow.
