parentheses. I am quoting what so many parents say. I have seen people on CB ask about parenting and it was just a given by the OP and other posters that self esteem cannot be sacrificed. So we are quibbling a bit about the words people use. Self esteem is generally not used the way you are using it and neither is confidence anymore. It is basically the absence of sadness or discouragement and is selefish and self-defeating.