Why are portraits important for your children?

What role do pictures play in your child’s self esteem?

As parents, we are always looking for ways to grow their self esteem, remind them that they are important. We want them to grow into individuals who have confidence in themselves and know their self worth.

Did you know that displaying portraits, especially family portraits, can play a role in this? Studies done over the last 45 years through several research projects focused on exactly what impact pictures have on self esteem. Studies have shown that individuals surrounded by printed portraits for as little as 5 weeks saw increases in their self esteem behaviors of as much as 37%

As a society, we like to display things – college degrees, trophies, your newest 60 inch TV.

I am sure your childs first drawing found a spot front and center on the fridge. Maybe even their first A+ school assignment? These items are shown to the world because we proud of them. We want everyone to see.

Portraits are no different! By showing off to the world your family portraits or newborn portraits, you are telling people that you are proud of your family and you are showing them off just like you should show off an expensive piece of art work.

Give them value by hanging them on your wall. Display your achievements.

You are indirectly and without knowing it showing your children that they are important to you.

Finding their place

Family photos also show the importance of the family unit and a childs place in it. As Dr. David Krauss, a licensed psychologist, discussed in one of his research papers “I think it’s really important to show a family as a family unit. It is so helpful for children to see themselves as a valued and important part of that family unit. A photographer’s job is to create and make the image look like a safe holding space for kids, where they are protected and loved. Kids get it on a really simple level.”

Judy Weiser, a therapist who specializes in Photo Therapy, went on to say “It lets children learn who they are and where they fit. When a child sees a family portrait with them included in the photograph, they say to themselves: ‘These people have me as part of what they are, that’s why I belong here. This is where I come from.”

Printed or digital, whats the difference?

Ok so pictures are important, got it, but I have plenty of those on my phone… right?

Well, actually, no its not the same thing. Prints have been proven to be more beneficial in this domain in comparison to digital files. Not just for their longevity but also for the following 2 reasons:

First, viewing images on your phone, tablet or computer requires the act of voluntarily showing it – seeing portraits should not require having to turn on electronics or search for USBs in drawers.  They should be visible day after day, in the living areas of your home. Ideally, portraits should be present in all rooms of the house, especially bedrooms so they are visible right before sleeping and first thing upon waking. This nurtures your children, makes them feel loved and builds lasting memories of their childhood.

Secondly, the sensory experience of touching physical items such as prints or albums. Many psychologist and neuroscientists have paralleled touching portraits as touching actual books instead of E-readers. There’s a completely different brain stimulation that happens when books or printed portrait are touched than a screen. It has also been noted that the lasting memory of both experiences are remembered differently in the long term – children are more likely to remember portraits they saw in a physical album then they are images shown to them on a cell phone.

Print your own pictures too

Hopefully this will give you some insight on why printed photography is important in this digital era and why NHP is deeply seeded in the idea that printed products matter.

But beyond professional photos, be sure to print the pictures you take on your own – have small books made that your children can look through at their leisure, print & frame your favorite selfie with your little one and put it in their room. Be sure to display that background picture of your phone, even if just on your family fridge!

And if you are interested in reading more on the subject, you can find some interesting articles from the Baltimore Sun, the DailyMail and My Child Magazine