Teachers and peers can be instrumental in defining boundaries and shaping

perceptions, but ultimately it's what primary care-givers do or don't do that shapes
an individual. Our self-esteem and happiness stem from how we relate to the world
around us, and how it relates to us.
We've lived in Asia since '96. I currently teach at an international school. We have a
mix of Chinese, Indonesian, Korean and Taiwanese students. There are issues here,
but most seem related to being isolated, and somewhat cocooned from reality.
Our students come from wealthy families. Many of them have grown up with young
village girls (many only a few years older than their charges) as their primary care-
givers.
The children respond to people as they've responded to their nannies. They're often
rude, spoiled and demanding.
They're rebuked, ignored, and occasionally ostracized. These 'privileged' children
rarely have the social skills, support network or internalized strength to deal with
situations appropriately. Based on what can be seen day to day, young adults have
many of the same issues.
In the larger society, nannies are quite common - so similar problems must arise.
Self-esteem is a large part of these issues, and perhaps self-awareness.