
6 Simple Ways to Build Your Daughter's Self-Esteem
Going to summer camp can be great for kids' self-esteem, and you can also create self-esteem building experiences at home.
Apr 23, 2016
LifestyleHealthyWomen's Copy Editor
Marcia Cronin has worked with HealthyWomen for over 15 years in various editorial capacities. She brings a strong background in copy editing. She graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a bachelor's degree in journalism and worked for over two decades in newspapers, including at The Los Angeles Times and The Virginian-Pilot.
After leaving newspapers, Marcia began working as a freelance writer and editor, specializing in health and medical news. She has copy edited books for Rodale, Reader's Digest, Andrews McMeel Publishing and the Academy of Nutritionists and Dietitians.
Marcia and her husband have two grown daughters and share a love of all things food- and travel-related.
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Do you worry that so much time on the smartphone and laptop is not healthy for your daughter's self-esteem and psyche? Are you looking for ways to encourage her to disconnect—or at least back away—from technology and relax and enjoy the summer?
Maybe you're remembering how much fun you had when you left civilization behind and went away to summer camp. Well, things have changed, and it's hard for children to get away from technology these days. But maybe it's worth a try.
Social media and the flood of polished images and overhyped messages that bombard our daughters on their smartphones and computers can harm their already precarious self-images. And online bullying and "mean girl" moments only make it worse.
May is National Teen Self-Esteem Month and a good time to talk with your daughter about how she feels about herself. Studies show that 53 percent of 13-year-old American girls are unhappy with their bodies, and 78 percent of 17-year-olds don't like what they see in the mirror.
If you think it would be healthy for your daughter to get away from her screens and her virtual "friends" for a while, you may want to help her look into summer camps or other adventures. It could be a wilderness camp, a nearby recreational camp, a family trip to Europe or a mission trip to South America. Or maybe she'd like the responsibility of camp counselor.
Experts at the Camping & Education Foundation say summer camp can teach teen girls life skills and help them develop not only a stronger body but also a stronger sense of self. That sounds better than watching reality TV, following celebrities online and posting selfies, right?
If camp is out of the question, you can help your daughter create a self-esteem–building experience at home by encouraging her to try these tips from the Camping & Education Foundation:
These changes can help kids step out of their normal worldview and realize that the hairstyles, clothes and other materialistic aspects of life that they and their friends value may not be as vital as they once seemed.