Can parents with low self esteem raise truly raise a confident child?

[Peggotty]

Just that really. Obviously we can try to instill self-confidence etc, but does any of that really matter when they see you being introverted etc. Will try to never put myself down in front of her etc but if 'low self esteem' is printed through my core like bloody blackpool rock, surely something is bound to rub off. Sorry for depressing post, just been worrying a bit about it recently...

oops sorry for double 'raise' in title!

Well not quite the same thing but I was painfully shy as a child and into early teens. I am constantly amazed and chuffed whenever I see my children striking up conversations with other children they hardly know - they so obviously have not inherited my shyness!
My tips to ensure high self esteem would be to give lots of praise (even for the most mundane things), never talk about them to others when they are listening (if you are saying negative things I mean) and tell them they look beautiful.

I don't know really, but if that theory of children's personality being mainly influenced by their peers and their role within that group rather than by parents influence is true, I suppose that is possible.

However, I have seen some shy parents with perfectly self confident (some times over confident children), we are not sure if they were born like that but I have noticed that my friends shy away of even correcting/moderating their children's behaviour and the children are so confident that is even dangerous! (says she who has seen one of them jumping from a mezanine ) Now, they don't speak much initially but surely know what they want and how to get it.

My parents are shy and unconfident (and extremely lovely people I hasten to mention), and I grow up shy and unconfident. Until I was about twenty, when I gradually got to realise I wasn't shy and actually have lots of confidence. My parents are amazed at how confident I am! They must have done something right, (in fact they did lots of things right) and I'm sure you are too, especially as you are aware of the issue.

Thanks for replies. Hopefully being aware, as belgo says, will ensure that I try to counteract my own negative traits. I do want to strike a balance and not raise a hideous over-confident brat just to over-compensate for my own upbringing. I don't think there's much chance of that really, I am, if nothing else, a very sensible person. I know men can be crap in some ways, but at least my DH doesn't overanalyse being a parent, he just does it.. seems to do a good job most of time, is gentle and loving with our dd, and praises her lots (as we both do). Anyway, just rambling now!