The newest trend at Kiddy#1's school is for the kids to arrive and then show off their new dress or shirt or toy, etc. Lately Kiddy#1 insists on wearing dresses because she wants to look pretty. Although this in itself is cute, I often worry about whether we help her enough to have a healthy self-esteem and not to only look at her outside appearance to find self-worth. I know she is only 3 years old, but I have already been told by her little 'friend' that she may not play with her because she is fat! It is shocking that at such a young age children even think that way.
Of course we often tell her that she is pretty and she looks like a princess, etc., but I cannot help but worry about the effect other children's comments could have on a little girl's perception of her self-worth. Of course to us she is the most gorgeous 3-year old on the face of the earth :)
I had a look online to see if I can find some information on the topic and came across this article:
http://www.enterprisepub.com/dakotacountystar/opinion/columns/child-beauty-pageants-give-young-girls-the-wrong-impression/article_4b70db0c-f497-11e2-9572-0019bb30f31a.html
Although I don't necessarily think that beauty pageants are always bad, I can see why it could have a terribly negative effect on young children. As it is we live in such a competitive world and I don't think I would want either of my girls to be subjected to being criticized by judges who don't know them and who don't care to look at the beauty inside of them.
What is a concern to me is this the idea they create that your outside appearance is what makes you beautiful. I have seen and heard for myself how children as young as three years old can say the cruelest things to their friends because of what they consider to be beautiful or not.
Kiddy#1's 'friend's' comment really came as a wake-up call for me to really make sure that our little princesses know how much they are worth and that yes, they are the most beautiful girls we have ever seen.
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