FORT WAYNE, Ind. (Indiana’s NewsCenter) -- According to the latest studies, girls self-esteem peaks at about nine years of age. After that about the time puberty sets in, it takes a nosedive.
It's not only about how we look but how we feel about how we look.
Not only about our talents and abilities but how confident we are in them. We pulled back the curtain a little bit to show you why what girls see isn't always what they can get.
Megan Spinks, Licensed Clinical Social Worker says, “In this culture of cameras young girls are bombarded with images of the rich and famous. They are exposed to society's ideal for women in magazines, on websites, and on television and it's available 24/7. A recent study found that 59% of 5th through 12th grade girls were dissatisfied with their body shape. 20-40% of girls begin dieting at age 10 and 47% said they were doing so because of magazine pictures.
Beginning in the pre-teen years the body becomes an all-consuming barometer of self-worth for girls.
Spinks says, “I think it's ads and television those shows the children are watching. We're looking at happiness connected to the way we look. Girls spend about 180 minutes in a media induced environment and about ten minutes in a parental influenced environment every day.
The tragedy in all of this is much of what these girls are exposed to isn't even real. Take a look at the real face of fame. These before and after images show the difference hair styling and make up can make. And look at what the practice of airbrushing can do making the body more slender and the face flawless. There are campaigns against the practice of airbrushing in advertising and in Great Britain ad campaigns for two cosmetics lines have been banned because of excessive airbrushing. Even myself, your humble correspondent go through many, many steps before I can be considered camera ready! Proof positive that the finished product doesn't reflect the reality. While most grown women get their hair styled or colored and most use at least some makeup to enhance their appearance, it's important that your appearance doesn't define you. When girls as young as 10 feel they must use makeup to look a certain way something is out of whack. And it's up to parents to help these girls develop a healthy self-esteem.
“Acknowledge their uniqueness and value them for who they are and what they are versus what they wear and what their appearance is,” says Spinks. “Moms need to check on their own body issues. What's the message they are saying about themselves. Dads have to think cautiously about how they represent their feelings about women and their appearance.”
Stress that it's OK to care about how you look, but put appearance in it's proper place in her world. Families are where children first develop their sense of self. And parents who are armed with knowledge can create a psychological climate that will enable them to develop into confident, well-adjusted adults.”
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