My Child Puts Herself Down: How Can I Help Her?
My daughter always puts herself down. She's very caring and smart, and I compliment her all the time, but nothing seems to work.– Mike
Helping her see that others, like you, appreciate her qualities is a great start. You can also try to get her involved in activities like volunteering that encourage cooperation rather than competition. This will give her a taste of success and will show her what she is capable of accomplishing.
Most everyone has some self-doubt from time to time, but if your daughter’s self-criticism is interfering with her life, a trained therapist can often uncover the reasons for her low self-esteem and can suggest ways to improve it.
For more information, check out these articles:
Developing Your Child's Self-Esteem
How Can I Help My Child Develop Healthy Self-Esteem?
Reviewed by: Larissa Hirsch, MDDate reviewed: November 2006
Originally reviewed by: Neil Izenberg, MD
Note: All information is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor.
© 1995-2008 The Nemours Foundation. All rights reserved.
Note: All information is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor.
© 1995-2008 The Nemours Foundation. All rights reserved.
Take an action
- this article with friends and family.
- Have a question about Girls and Self-Esteem? Ask it here.
- Publish your work on education.com.
Add your own comment
Have a question?
To share your personal experience or ask advice from our community, please start a discussionGreat Gift Ideas
to help build your child’s brain, and they’re chock full of fun! Browse Our Recommendations.
- Girls and Science: The Wave of the Future?
- Are Today's Girls Under Too Much Pressure?
- What to Do About the Mean Girls
- Introduce Your Girl to Engineering
- Scout's Honor: A Century of Creating Leaders
- Girls and Body Image: Loving the Skin She's In
- Indirect Aggression Amongst Teenage Girls and How Parents Can Help
- Gender Differences: Middle School
- Gender Differences: 5th Grade
- How to Raise Girls with Healthy Self-Esteem
Comments from readers