Self-Esteem is a powerful human need. It is a basic human need that makes an essential contribution to the life process; it is indispensable to normal and healthy development; it has survival value. - Nathaniel Branden, Ph.D., The power of Self-Esteem

Lack of self-esteem is a significant contributing factor to substance abuse, child abuse, crime, violence, teen pregnancy, chronic welfare dependency, school dropouts and eating disorders. This is not to say if you have an unhealthy sense of self that you will definitely fall into one of these categories, it is much more complex than that and a lack of or false sense of self-esteem doesn't mean you will be a failure. There are very successful people like the highly productive workaholic.  However, so many people judge themselves on what they do or what they own and when self-esteem is based on success it only leads to anxiety.

When individuals focus on proving themselves or live to impress others they typically have defensive or low self-esteem.  They tend to blame others instead of taking responsibility for their actions and tend to show arrogance and contempt towards others.

Being with people who value themselves and each other does more than bring us pleasure; it strengthens our own feelings of self-esteem and inspires us to encourage it in others. - The Final Report of the California Task Force to Promote Self and Personal and Social Responsibility, Toward A State of Esteem.

If we as parents have or achieve a healthy sense of self-esteem we are better able to instil value and worthiness in our children. 

People need to know that they matter.