Don’t Call Her “Birdlegs”
Dr. James Dobson, a child development specialist, says that “children are sometimes permanently harmed by people’s attitudes towards their looks. Even at age 3 or 4, children can tell if they are beautiful or ugly.”
Unhappily, most people treat children as if they were beauty contest contestants, giving warmth and praise to the goodlooking and ridiculing or neglecting the fat, skinny, or whatever child. The result for the latter is lifelong self-doubt and feelings of worthlessness. Nicknames like “bucky beaver”, “pee wee”, or “birdlegs” can cause harm for life. Instead of exalting beauty, brains or accomplishment, the specialist urges adults to teach children to emphasize virtues such as diligence, patience and honesty.
So when you have that new born baby, and wish to purchase baby gifts, remember along with those the best gift you can give will be that of encouraging self-esteem.
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Add comment August 1st, 2006
