A national poll has found that 2 in 3 parents feel that their child is self-conscious about their looks. As parents, we know that our children are perfect just the way they are, and we would never change them. However, it can be hard to get our children to feel the same way about themselves.
We can tell them over, and over again, but they may often feel like since we are moms, we “have” to feel this way, and it doesn’t make it genuine to them. Self-esteem and confidence are two important skills for youth to have, and it can have a big impact on their mental health, and parents are always working to make sure their child is proud of who they are.
According to Medical Xpress, a national poll found that most parents feel that their child is self-conscious about the way they look. This poll was done by the University of Michigan, and it can be read in full here.
This was part of the C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health, and it found that 2 in 3 parents know that their child is self-conscious about at least one part of their appearance. Even more, they found that 1 in 5 stated that their teenager avoids being in pictures due to it.
When it came to what children are most self-conscious about, the following came in with the most concerning at the top of the list:
- Acne/Skin
- Weight
- Hair
- Teeth
- Height
- Facial Features
Susan Woolford is the co-director of Mott Poll, and she said that children begin forming opinions on how they look from a very young age, and it is important that parents know this so that they can support their children through their struggles. If parents know what their children are self-conscious about, they can be more aware of their language and their attitude towards physical appearance.
This poll was based on the answers of more than 1,600 parents of children between the ages of 8 and 18 years old. The poll also found that parents of girls reported that their daughters were self-conscious about their breasts. Parents can play a huge role in how their children feel about not only themselves but their physical appearance as a whole. If mom is talking negatively about parts of her that she doesn’t like, this can build a structure that says it is “OK” to ridicule ourselves and feel bad about certain ways that we look.
Sources: Medical Xpress, MottPoll