It’s fun to be a kid… right? Maybe wrong… Statistics are showing more and more kids are becoming troubled teens with low self-esteem. Kidzworld wants to let you know what you can do about it before you do something you might regret.
What is self-esteem?
Self-esteem is simply how you feel about yourself. More and more kids are being discovered to hate themselves. Why? Here are a few examples why kids might have low self-esteem:
Body Image
- Pressure to get good grades
- Bullying and teasing
- Popularity competition
- Body Appearance does not resemble people in magazines and on TV
- Parents are not supportive
- Addicted to video games, smoking, eating junk food
Boosting Self-esteem
Kids need high self-esteem
Your self-esteem goes up and down with everything that you do. One day you might not feel like getting out of bed, but the next day you might jump up ready to take on the whole world. Here are the big secrets to boosting your self-esteem:
Oprah Winfrey as a role model
- Look people in the eyes (there's a good chance for a sincere smile when you do this)
- Listen to your heart. For example… Stand up to a bully if they are teasing someone. You’ll feel good about yourself no matter what happens
- Find a role model and try to learn about them (ex. Oprah – what was she like when she was a child?)
- Live a healthy lifestyle (exercise, eat well, be active... give your body a chance to be happy)
- Find something you love to do and practice it everyday (science, artwork, sports, fashion etc)
- Honesty (not just what you say... what you do and how you act too!)
Losing the Fear
A famous comedian named Dave Chappelle told a story about the night when he was telling jokes at the Apollo theatre in New York, and everyone in the theater started booing him. He said that it was that night that made him become so successful… “because it was not as bad as I thought it would be.”
Dave Chappelle's night at the Apollo
We can learn from Dave that as long as we try no matter how scary the situation, it’s not the end of the world if you fail. When you realize that secret… you will gain confidence, and confidence can make dreams come true... (performing, travelling, getting a great job, giving love, facing challenges).
Bad Decisions
Smoking Sucks the Life right out of you
Kids often try to boost their self-esteem with bad decisions that only make things worse. Most kids try hard to get friends by doing foolish things that might seem harmless at the time, but they regret later. If you’ve done things that you’ve regret, don’t let your self-esteem bring you down even further. It’s never too late to change directions.
