Recently, there has been a sharp rise in recognizing issues surrounding poor mental health in teens, whether they suffer from anxiety, depression, or lack self-confidence. Some adults believe this is natural. It’s a rite of passage, yet failing to attend to these mental health struggles can cause significant problems later in life. If you have teens - or know teens - struggling with their self-esteem, consider these tips to help them boost their self-confidence. 

Teach Them Self-Care Techniques 

Self-care is a vital element of boosting self-confidence. There are multiple ways you can educate your teen on self-care, ranging from understanding how to avoid stressful situations to offering beauty tips that can help them experience the glow-up they’ve always wanted. Encouraging a substantial focus on self-care can make a huge difference to their self-esteem and will lay the groundwork for them to explore other techniques as they find one that works for them. 

Listen To Their Insecurities 

You don’t need to be an expert in teen psychology to know that teenagers are riddled with insecurities. However, rather than dismissing them and assuming they are nothing more than cliche teen angst, you should listen to them, because you might learn something. From fixing crooked teeth with retainers to exploring different diets to help them lose weight, there are many things you can do to help your teen become the person they want to be. 

Celebrate Their Good Qualities 

People - not just teens - tend to focus solely on their negative qualities, but this means they often miss their good qualities. It can be difficult to convince someone with low self-esteem that they have plenty of things to love about themselves, but you can still try. At the very least, this will provide positive reinforcement and help them realize there is more to feeling and looking good than they might think. 

Remind Them That Social Media Is Not Reality 

As useful as social media has been for connecting people, it also has a dark side. Filters and fakery are two common issues that contribute to low self-esteem in teens (and adults). Many contemporary teens have spent their entire lives on social media. They see what they assume is perfection and naturally believe they are on the opposite end of the spectrum. Reminding them that social media is not reality and even showing them examples can go a long way toward changing their mindset. 

Empower Them to Find Themselves 

You can’t force your kids to be anything, but you can empower them to find themselves as they embark on a journey of self-acceptance. Whether you encourage curiosity or give them the tools to try and do as much as possible, they will gradually become more comfortable in their skin and slowly but surely find that self-belief and confidence they need to thrive. 

Boost

Teenagers have plenty of development still to come and most won’t work out who they truly are until they reach their twenties (or even later). Still, these tips can help them improve their self-confidence both inside and out, giving them the ideal platform to thrive in any environment.