Over 60% of girls avoid certain activities because they feel bad about their looks.
Looking at magazines for just 60 minutes lowers the self-esteem for over 80% of girls.
92% of girls want to change at least one aspect of their physical appearance, with body weight ranking the highest.
Those stats aren’t about women….they are about school-aged girls. Isn’t that heartbreaking?
When I found out I was pregnant with twin girls, I was scared. Girls growing up these days go through so much. There’s all this pressure on young girls and I’m worried that as a Mom, I’ll have to watch my gorgeous girls suffer from low self-esteem.
I remember when I was younger and I loved for anyone to take pictures of me. I can recall a video where I was singing for my whole family, unabashed and appalled when my Uncle took the microphone from me and stole the spotlight. Flash-forward just a few years ago when I was in middle school and I hated being in videos and pictures because of the way I look….and it hasn’t really changed now! I hate being in the picture and because of that, there”s ton of pictures with my husband and the kids minus me.
So, we used to love the camera! What happened? I don’t want my girls to ever hate being in front of the camera and I know that I have to set a good example for them. I wouldn’t know where to begin though to talk to them about having high self-esteem. Luckily, Dove is there to help with the Dove Self-Esteem Discussion Guide.
Dove® wants to inspire women everywhere to make girls unstoppable.Download the Dove® self-esteem discussion guide to help you start the conversation with your daughter.
After downloading, enter to win a Walmart gift card. We’re giving away one $300 Walmart gift card everyday and a $1,000 Walmart gift card grand prize! You can enter every day to increase your chance of winning!
When Did You Become Camera Shy?
You used to love the camera. While you’re on the site, watch an inspiring video about girls’ relationship with the camera, and be reminded of the importance of teaching young girls about self-confidence and self-esteem.
Dove® Self-Esteem Project at Walmart
Your purchase helps provide self-esteem programs for girls. Your Dove® purchase at Walmart helps support the cause. Start contributing today at walmart.com/dove.
No purchase necessary. Open to 50 US & DC, 18+. Ends 11/22/13. For rules, click here.
I’m grateful that I’ll have this Dove Self-Esteem Guide to look back on when it comes time to have the talk with my girls.
I love what Dove is doing. Girls start losing their self-esteem once they get into the school system it seems. I think if we start to change those equations, we can effect real change with our girls. Thanks for sharing the outreach efforts that are being made.
Estelle
I think something definitely needs to change…makes me so sad!
My daughter is one. I tell her how beautiful and smart she is everyday.
I love that! So do I!
Your girls are too cute 🙂 I love the Dove self esteem campaigns too 🙂
I don’t have any girls, but I do find that I hate being in front of the camera. I would MUCH rather be the photographer. I do need to work on that for sure!
This was really a good wake up call for me, Melissa. As a mom of a daughter as well, I need to work on encouraging her more. BTW, I love all your pictures, they are great!
What gorgeous girls and a great cause!
I wish there had been a campaign like this when I was a kid! I hated having my picture taken… I was chubby and bullied and mocked for it endlessly… sometimes even by my own family!
I have a four year old daughter, and when I tell her how pretty she looks she takes it in with an “I know” and a shrug. Ahh the innocence of youth. This is such an important campaign, such an important movement, because as girls grow, they develop feelings of self-esteem they’ll carry with them the rest of their life. It’s heartbreaking how negative feelings so young can impact girls so much.
What an amazing campaign.. and truly heartbreaking numbers. How awful and sad. I know I’ve definitely been self conscious, it stinks and I hate for little people to go through that. Thanks for getting the word out there!
I don’t have a daughter, but definitely still know how important this is. I struggled/struggle with self esteem constantly… I would have loved to nip that in the bud as a child. Love this campaign!!
I love all of these self esteem posts… it’s such an important topic. My teen girls are pretty confident and strong girls and I hope it stays that way.
I love what Dove does to support a healthy body image. I would be afraid, too, if I had little girls!!!
I feel really lucky that my daughter has excellent self-esteem and is so comfortable in her skin. Don’t ask me where she got that from cuz her mama sure doesn’t have it.
I have a son, but have noticed one my nieces becoming very self conscious and less secure in herself since she turned 12. This is a fantastic initiative by Dove!
Awe, what cuties. Love those baby photos!
Hmmm…. I became camera shy when I was around 4 years old!
This initiative by Dove to increase self esteem in girls and women is a wonderful thing.
I feel the same way about myself. The teen years definitely changed the way I looked at myself via bullying. It is hard to rise above the negativity.
I am definitely camera shy, this Dove campaign is definitely an inspiration for young girls! I think it’s important to teach them to have a good body image and not get so caught up in the superficial part of it all.
I love the self esteem campaigns. I am trying hard t teach my girls
i applaud dove’s efforts on campaigns like this. i want my girls (i have 2 of my own) to keep their self esteem!
You have beautiful little ladies! Dove is doing an awesome job with this campaign.
This is a good campaign. Girls need to a have solid self esteem especially about the way they look and not stereotyped into thinking less of their body by beauty and fashion magazines. I really find it annoying.
I remind her that God made her beautiful both inside and out and that the gifts and talents He has placed inside of her are unique. We keep reminding her that He made only one her because she has a special place in this world that nobody else can step into 🙂
I really appreciate the work Dove does with young girls to let them know that it’s okay and beautiful not looking like a photoshopped magazine model.
My daughter is shy and quiet, but so far self esteem seems good. I’ll work to keep it that way to inspire a confident and wonderful girl as she grows!
I am so glad that Dove is investing in the lives of girls. My girls are beautiful, intelligent, and talented young women, but I still hear negative remarks regarding their features. It takes so much daily encouragement to maintain their self esteem.
I have had such strange self esteem. Being a designer, I’ve figured out how to HIDE my flaws instead of living with them. So much, in fact that my own husband bought be sweatpants TWO sizes too small, and was agast that they didn’t fit. I’m not sure if I was proud of that, or found it successful or horrid that I hide.
I think this is such an important topic. My daughter is still young enough that I don’t have to worry much about this yet but I’m trying to instill in her good ideas.
I use to be the same way, afraid to step in front of the camera, and it took a lot of work to get to the point where I could film my YouTube videos. However, I never had a problem with self-esteem my problem was the other girls in middle and high school that would tear a person down if they tried to steal their limelight.
I love this campaign!!! I dont think that it is ever too early to teach girls especially to embrace who they are. They will the rest of their lives with the media telling them what is the “perfect woman”. It is so important that learn from their parents to love who they are no matter what that means.
I have 3 daughters and they all seem to be pretty outgoing which is a good thing because I have always been shy!
Your daughter’s are adorable! I really hope I can raise my daughter to have a healthy self-esteem! I’ve been trying to work on my own so I can be of good example when she’s older.
What a great post for girls!
My daughter is 5, and we tell her how beautiful and smart she is all of the time. Her daddy tells her she is the prettiest girl in the world. I hope she remembers those words as she gets older.