Family portraits can have a huge impact on your children’s self-esteem and how they view their place in the world and your family unit.

A Tulane University study found that children who see photos of themselves have higher self-esteem than children who aren’t exposed to family portraits. Having your family photos hanging up in your home can help your children grow into more confident adults.

Self-esteem is feeling good about yourself and what you can do. Kids with good self-esteem recognise good qualities about themselves and believe in their abilities. They feel liked and know how to handle and move past a mistake when it comes along.

On the other hand, a kid with low self-esteem may not feel like they fit in. They might believe other kids dislike them or they’re not as good. When they fail, they dwell on what went wrong instead of jumping to try again. They self-criticise and are extra tough on themselves.

Kids with high self-esteem might see benefits like:

Stronger values
A sense of purpose
Increased resiliency
Better stress management

A child’s self-esteem, which is established by age five, develops as he grows, makes new friends and is praised for good behaviour. Taking family photos is one way to nurture your child’s self-esteem.

How can family photos boost your child’s self-Esteem?

For many families, photos are a great way to capture and display memories. You may already have pictures plastered on your walls for all to see. According to one 2009 UK survey, 78% of people have between one and 15 photos of family in their home. Ten years later, when technology has made it easier to snap and share photos, it’s easy to assume the number has gone up.

It was also discovered kids who don’t see family photos when growing up are less likely to hang pictures of their own children. Experts believe family photos — whether displayed or not — could have a profound effect on your child’s self-esteem.

Here is what the experts say

“My personal and clinical bias is there is something very powerful in touching your fingers to an actual print. Touching the photograph is the same thing as touching a book when you read it. There’s a lot of stimulation of the brain when you have that sensory experience.” – child psychologist Craig Steinberg.

“Displaying photos prominently in the home sends the message that our family and those in it are important to one another, and we honour the memories we have experienced,” – clinical social worker Cathy Lander-Goldberg.

Show off what you love

Your home tends to reflect what you value most in life. After all, if we get a new outfit or the latest tech gadget, we can’t wait to show it off. Having the same attitude toward your family photos can reassure your children of how much they’re loved and valued. Let your children know just how important they are by having photos of them displayed prominently throughout your home.

Family photos can show your children that they are an important part of your family and can serve as a reminder that your home is a safe space, no matter what life throws at them. By seeing their place in portraits, they can better understand how they fit into your lives and into the family as a whole.

A Place to Belong

A child with high self-esteem is one who knows where he belongs. Family photos, seen every day, are a visual representation of where a child belongs.

Professor Geoff Beattie, Dean of Psychological Sciences at the University of Manchester, says, “For children, in particular, looking at photographs is part of the socialising process, learning who you are and where you fit into the family. By displaying photographs of our children at different stages of their lives, we are making a very public statement that we are proud of them.”

A photo is a public display of pride in your child, one they will recognize. Looking at family photographs can remind them they have links to others who understand and accept them as they are.

Encourage better child development

Family portraits showcase everyone within it as a whole, a united front without a divide. Looking back upon these moments helps your child see themselves like a puzzle piece within your family, completing those around them and how perfectly they fit in their own unique way.

A child’s sense of self is a delicate part of their development, and solidifying their place within your family goes a long way in helping them view themselves positively in the future.

Children who grow up in homes full of family portraits, on average, feel more connected to those around them.

Print vs. Digital

If you’re like most parents, you probably take phone photos of your kids constantly. You may even post them on your social media. But your child doesn’t follow you on Instagram, so they don’t get to see your captions about how much you love them. They have no way of knowing how frequently you share their photos.

Having physical prints hanging on the walls of your home lets your child know every day that they are loved and valued. A photo on the wall is a more sensory experience for your child than images on a phone screen or tablet. Displaying photos in your home lets your child—and everyone—know that you value your family and celebrate everything you have experienced together. It’s a way of demonstrating how important your family memories are to you, which can be comforting to your child.

When it comes to choosing a photographer, it’s important to get all your questions answered upfront and to find someone whose style and vibe match your vision for your images.

The better your connection with your photographer, the more comfortable you’ll feel and the better your photos will turn out!

Don't Let Another Year Go By!

Your family changes every year and will never look the same again. Capture this time in your family's history with a photo session, wall art, or prints for your home!

Get in Touch

Blog