MANILA, Philippines – Parents need to emphasize a child’s inner strengths and character to help him or her cultivate a healthy self-image in a society that seems to put too much emphasis on physical beauty, according to experts.
“Parents need to emphasize a child’s assets that are not related to beauty. For instance, a parent should praise a child for his or her obedience and other notable traits, especially if the child is not really attractive,” Dr. Ma. Cynthia R. Leynes, a child and adolescent psychiatrist said.
Leynes was among the speakers during the seventh post-graduate course called “Beauty and the Brain,” held by the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine of the University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH)” in Manila.According to Leynes, a child starts to develop the concept of beauty in the pre-school years where a child begins to be aware of values and the concept of self.
At this age, a child’s concept of beauty is influenced by parents, peers and media and the concept of masculinity, femininity and good and evil starts to form.
While infants have no thoughts of self and beauty, Leynes said infants are seemingly attracted to round, symmetrical objects which is related to a mother’s full face. The expert said babies associate round objects with feelings of pleasure.
During school-age, formations of groups begin and the need to be accepted begins. The child also begins to compare herself with others along with the desire to conform to the “standards of beauty.”
This is why parents should fortify the child’s concept of a healthy self-image at this age.
“Parents should strongly emphasize a child’s beauty and achievements at this age. But it is better if parents will dwell more on a child’s achievements so that his or her concept of beauty would lean more on the child’s capacity to do something great rather than his or her looks.”
Among various cultures, beauty is highly subjective, according to UP Diliman Professor Felipe P. Jocano Jr.
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