Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Self Confidence

Today I am looking for a little bit of advice.
Maybe some advice for me and some for Ava.
I've never been a very confident person, and I don't have a very positive self image
and lately I've noticed Ava worrying about the way she looks WAY to much.
Here are a few examples.
The other day I did her hair.
It was cute but it wasn't perfect and we were running late for school so I didn't have time to redo it.
All the way to school she was crying that her hair didn't look good and that the kids would make fun of her. Let me just add that I know the kids are not making fun of her at school. Every day I am bombarded by kids asking to come to our house and play with Ava and she gets multiple compliments through the week about how cute she looks.
And maybe that's part of it.
Maybe she gets too many compliments on how she looks.
I don't know.
Another example happened last night.
I put her to bed and she was crying because she had a bump on her cheek.
She wanted me to get something to fix it right away.
I told her it was fine and we would look and it in the morning and she got really upset (sad upset, not fit throwing upset) I finally got her calmed down and told her you couldn't even see the bump and then she went to bed fine.

Those are just a few examples but it's been happening a lot lately.
I know that she is watching me and that plays a big part and I try not to say things in front of her but I'm not sure what to do.
How do make a little girl understand how wonderful she is?
She hears it from us on a daily basis but apparently that's not enough.
I know that this is something that will affect her for the rest of her life and that's why I'm asking for any advice you can give.
I know you all are full of wisdom
and thank you in advance.

2 comments:

  1. Jennifer, even though I am a mom of THREE girls, I am no expert. But I have noticed that it is a little bit personality related. My oldest is VERY self-conscious. I try and give her non-beauty related compliments and just be excited for her for "other" things. I don't notice it so much in the second one. I truly try to watch my words and actions because it does effect them. Another thing I try and do is pray for them in family prayer. I say thanks for their positive things and ask for them to know how special they are and stuff - right in front of them. That way they know it is important, and I care about them. Hope that helps! We should get together sometime and "talk" girl things!

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  2. Hi Jennifer, I guess I'm lucky to have a girl that seems self-confident. But I tell her time and time again that beauty is something that grows inside us when we do good works, being kind to others, giving a smile to the sad kids, being helpful... you know what I mean? On the other hand caring for our bodies makes us feel good on the outside. Hope it helps, you are a wonderful mom, and beauty just comes naturally, so she has nothing to fret about.

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