I once read a study that claimed family portraits, in plain view of a developing child, contribute to increased levels of confidence. (Source unknown)
As both a woman and mother of a young daughter I feel hyper aware of the insecurities girls face while growing up. We can point fingers at the media, fashion designers and toy companies all we want, but at the end of the day it is our role as parents that ultimately determines our children's end experiences.
At age 7, Lyric has already expressed a desire to change things about herself. Lighter hair and blue-er eyes are just the beginning as she continues to be exposed to the melting pot that reflects our American standards of beauty.
Tina Fey said:
But as mother's, what kind of behaviors are our own children unintentionally recognizing? I would personally be a salon junkie if I could afford the damage to both my follicles and my bank account. For years my twitter headline read: "I change my hair color more often than I change the oil in my car." Both a clever and accurate 140 character description of my 20's.
The challenge here is not to blame others or ourselves, but instead to open the doors to communicating the difference between self expression and self esteem.
Let's raise confident children. Let's acknowledge the beauty in everyone without putting ourselves down. Let's identify happiness and document it on the walls and in the picture frames that decorate our homes. Let's make a difference one step at a time by simply exposing our children to a definition of beauty that is relatable, healthy and congruent with our motives of building a happier, healthier and more tolerant future.
No comments:
Post a Comment