you are a MASTERPIECE

You are an original masterpiece; imitating someone else diminishes your value.
– Matshona Dhliwayo

In a radical experiment created by the Dove company, a forensic artist sketched the faces of dozens of women based on their descriptions. He drew in a curtained room with his back to the woman, he never saw who it was he was drawing. Afterward, he drew another picture. This time, a person who was told to get to know the woman was asked questions about their face and another sketch was drawn.

In the end, the woman who had been sketched twice now was brought back to look at both drawings. The self-described drawing was extremely harsh and not very attractive, so much so that it didn’t look like her at all. The drawing described by a stranger was much softer and more welcoming.

Everyone is guilty of being a little too self-critical. It’s true that critiquing ourselves is a wonderful way to progress, but self-loathing isn’t. It’s very easy for children to pick up on this habit by seeing their parents complaining about their own flaws.

When you look at your little one, you can see the dazzling beauty that is who they are. The way they laugh, the way they smile, that special little dimple on their face. You know your child is a work of art, and helping them see that can build a child who is confident and ready to face the world.

If your child is having difficulty seeing his or her true beauty, you can help them.

don’t ignore beauty
It’s tempting to tell your son or daughter that beauty is only skin deep, but telling them beauty doesn’t matter comes off as untruthful in today’s society. All they have to do is look around at how much the world values beauty to know that it does matter—at least to some people.

Instead, when your child is sad because someone else is prettier, you can point out that everyone likes different things. Just like some people like cats, and others like dogs, some people will prefer blue eyes and others brown. Remind them that beauty isn’t the only thing that matters, and that their talents and personality matter too.

help them see that they can add to their inner artwork
Your whole life should be a work of art, from the things you experience to the goals you set. Together, these experiences create a wonderful work of art that is you.

Teaching your children that they are not only a work of art, but a masterpiece, may be difficult, but it is well worth the effort. Your children deserve to see themselves the way others do, and encouraging them to add those splashes of color to their life will help them blossom as they draw on the canvas that is their life.

reading to encourage little masterpieces
Another great way to help our children to see their true beauty is to read books that share this message. A few that do just that include We’re All Works of Art by Mark Sperring which not only celebrates the diversity of people, but also introduces real-life works of art done in different styles, Love: a story about who you truly are by Anita Moorjani teaches children to be kind to themselves and others through positive self-talk and Beautiful by Stacy McAnulty is a wonderful book for young girls to embrace who they are inside and out.

coloring fun
Please enjoy this free Tot Tails coloring page to help share this message with your child.