[SchmennaLeigh]

I would say yes, self-esteem can be inherited.

However, my question is this: if she had good self-esteem, would you credit your parenting? If she had good self-esteem, would you credit the firstmom? I'm not sure why it matters WHERE her self-esteem issues come from... but that you get her help as soon as possible. Poor self-esteem issues CAN lead, as you said, down bad paths, be they poor grades, eating disorders, drugs or whatever else.

Not sure why we need to play the blame game here. Seems unfair to all parents and isn't putting the focus where it needs to be: ON your beautiful little girl.

That said: my parents were amazing. (Minus some slip ups in later years that falls on both of our shoulders.) My parents had fairly decent self-esteem and were both successful. Yet, I went through a period of time where my self-esteem was so low that I ended up hospitalized with my eating disorder. Are my parents to blame? In my opinion: In no way, shape or form.