Could you give me some ideas as to how to build up a 10 year old’s esteem/body image?

I applaud you for caring, but I am not sure that writing exercises are the cure. A child will develop good self esteem from praise, love and interaction. It’s true that other children can be cruel so it’s up to parents to make sure that your child has a good support system at home. If she is over weight, stop buying the food that has made her that way. Let her know the importance of being healthy and help her make the changes in her life that will accomplish that. You could even start a family exercise program that includes

everyone ( bike riding is a good one) so she will not feel alone in her process. If it is just a matter of her not liking the way that she looks, you will need to praise her more. Good communication develops strong bonds and trust. She seems to be a little young for such worries. It couldn’t hurt to take her shopping. Let her pick some clothes that she likes and feels comfortable in. Mom can try a new hairstyle on her also.

I hope you are stressing the importance of her inner beauty as well.

What exactly are you looking to build up? If it is confidence then make them face challenges which are difficult but achievable and do not allow him to stop until the challenges are overcome. If it is body image, then that is a different problem. If you woudl like to discuss this in detail then feel free to IM me — ramses8p on yahoo

I wish I could suggest some…..I would think that activities like sports, dancing and other social activities play an important role in building our self image.

Wish you all the best.

God bless