Tips on Fostering Positive Self Esteem in Girls and Young Women

Today's generation of young girls is at risk. They are bombarded with images of "ideal beauty", from ultra thin movie stars to airbrushed photo spreads and glossy magazine covers. A got-to-have-it mentality is also on the rise, all of which lead to an unrealistic and unhealthy expectation of what makes a woman beautiful.

A casual walk down a toy aisle can clue one in to how girls receive conditioning starting at very young ages. The dolls on the shelves are long limbed and slim, sporting micro mini skirts and bare midriffs. They are valued for their appearance and material goods: their clothes, gadgets, cool cars and hair. They are basically miniature versions of what is portrayed in the media as beautiful. These dolls generate great sales for the toy companies, but what does this foster in young, impressionable girls?

I recently visited the official website for one of the top selling doll lines (I won't mention the brand, but it's a variant of the spelling Brats), and as the page loaded, a message read "Please wait... it takes time to look this good!" The message can be seen as cute and witty, or taken literally: That girls are not inherently beautiful, that being beautiful is something that has to be worked at and achieved, possibly even purchased. Unfortunately, many girls will try to emulate these impossible standards and notions of beauty at the cost of their own self esteem which inevitably leads to problems with their physical health if left untended to. According to statistics, in the United States alone, "...after puberty, 5-10 million girls and women... are struggling with eating disorders...."

What can we do as parents and caretakers to develop positive self esteem and self image amid the pressures of the media? Here are tips and ideas on how to foster self love and healthy habits for life in young girls.

1. Form a tight relationship