We all know that growing up is hard, but do you ever feel like growing up today is harder than it was when we were 'tweens? As a 'tween today, your child is working hard to find his/her way. Every 'tween wants to fit in, but social awkwardness can be the most difficult part of being a 'tween. Is your child shy? Does your child feel insecure? Does your child lack self-confidence? This is all common in 'tweens, but when it's not addressed, it can continue into the 'teen years and adulthood.
Low self-esteem - when one sees oneself as inadequate, unlovable, and/or incompetent - is an ongoing spiral that can be difficult to break out of. Often times, low self-esteem is related to (perceived) looks. For example, consider the following statistics from DoSomething.org about 'teens and self-esteem:
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70% of girls feel they're simply not good enough, such as in looks, relationships, or school performance
- 44% of girls in high school and 15% of guys in high school are trying to lose weight
- For girls, self-esteem is more about self-image as related to body shape and weight as opposed to actual weight
- More than 40% of boys in middle/high school exercise specifically to build muscle mass
And what are the consequences of low self-esteem?
- More than 70% of girls age 15-17 years, when feeling bad about how they look, avoid normal activities like going to school
- Whereas only 25% of girls with high self-esteem engage in negative activities, 75% of girls with low self-esteem engage in negative activities
- Teenage girls with low self-esteem are 4 times more likely to engage in activities with boys that they come to regret later on
- A close 6% of boys in middle/high school have used steroids
- And finally, 20% of teens struggle with depression
Are you wondering yet what this has to do with portrait photography?
As a professional photographer, I have a power. And that power is to create photographs that make girls and boys, men and women, feel good... no GREAT... about how they look! I have the power to influence self-image and to BUILD self-esteem and confidence! And when I have the opportunity to do it as early as the 'tween and 'teen years... if I can help make a 'tween feel less awkward, or bring a 'teen out of that self-perpetuating spiral of low self-esteem... then I have truly made a difference.
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