Developing Self-Image as a Christian

A week or so ago, my dad was watching a group of small children playing, and he posed the following question:  Do you think little kids have the awareness that they are cute?  This question has a lot wrapped up in it.  When do we as humans develop self-awareness?  When do we develop self-esteem?  What influences our self-esteem and when do those influences start to affect us?

As a former teacher, my first instinct was to consult educational psychology.  Jean Piaget and other human development scientists have identified various stages of development.  Carl Rogers specifically delved more into the area of development of sense of self and self-esteem.  He posited that there are three components to self-concept:  self-worth (how we feel about ourselves in terms of personality), self-image (how we feel about ourselves in terms of physical appearance), and ideal-self (what we would like ourselves to be in terms of both of the previous aspects).

Many factors can influence our sense of self-image, from our environment, to the people with whom we interact, to the type of media we consume, and so on.  In the ideal circumstances, young children should be raised in an environment that promotes a good self-image, and therefore may have the awareness that they are “cute” from as early as two years old.  Unfortunately, the ideal is often not the reality.

As Catholics, hopefully we are taught from a young age that we are children of God and that God loves us.  Last week I wrote about Fred Rogers and his message that children are special just the way they are.  I wrote about how Mr. Rogers was an important adult figure in many children’s lives in that he instilled this sense of living as a child of God without actually saying the words.  It would seem to follow that, if we live life as people of God, we understand that God loves us no matter what, and that fact should have a positive effect on our self-image.  We just have to believe that it is true, even when it might be difficult to do so.

Life has many ups and downs.  The trick is to enjoy the up times and weather the down times, remembering that the down times won’t last forever.

How would you respond to my dad’s question?  Share in the comments section below.  Remember to keep all comments civil and respectful.

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Learn more about Carl Rogers and his theory of self-concept development here.