What gift I can give you?

Is high self-esteem the greatest gift I can give my daughters. High self-esteem means you consider yourself important and valuable, regardless of your appearance, ability or performance. If you feel you are important, you speak up for yourself and defend your rights and your body. Any woman can become a victim of a violent act, of course, but statistically speaking the possibility is very slight-and, in light of the research cited by psychologist and author Nicky Marone, even slighter for women with high self-esteem. An investigation in which scientists filmed ordinary people, pedestrians in New York, as they strolled along the street. This film was shown to a group of criminals, who were asked to say which people were worth considering as victims. The results were unequivocal: it was always the same people who were selected. They stood out because of their inhibited body language, which indicated fragility, uncertainty and a general lack of self-confidence.

The best way I can protect my daughters from fear and danger,as an alternative to confining them to their bedrooms until they turn 35, is to ensure that they have a good self-esteem. The chance to strengthen self-esteem exists even when they are toddlers. Don't hurry to their aid if things go wrong-leave it to them to find solutions by themselves, and possibly to fail and try again. Children also develop self-esteem when they feel the unconditional love of their parents, a love that is founded on their worth as a human being, not on their appearance or performance.