Building Confidence & Body Awareness in Teens

Life is full of surprises. Sometimes these surprises are nice. Other times, however, they are less so. And we cannot help feeling a little worried about what the future holds – especially for our pre-teens facing puberty and bodily changes. This brings us to the importance of being self-aware and confident, despite the many hormonal uncertainties that come about.  Self-confidence has a real stimulating effect on a child – it gives him or her the energy and courage necessary to enter life, face challenges, make friends and, little by little, conquer obstacles – both external and internal.

Building your child’s confidence levels

Naturally, parents want to foster in their children an attitude of a person who can do everything so that they accept new challenges with courage and eventually have confidence in themselves. While each child is different, parents can follow certain general rules so that they develop self-confidence.

Stay at a distance – Of course, supervision is important to ensure that children are protected. But to help them learn a new skill, it is important to give them their space. Give children the opportunity to try something new, make mistakes and learn from the lesson. Give them privacy as well while also prefacing a conversation about body image and changes, stating that they can talk to you at any time and that you will give them the best, unbiased information that will not only keep them from wondering, but also help them mature quickly among their peers.

Offer encouragement and praise – Sometimes, you may not be the one to intervene when your child is in doubt, but your child will surrender. Help her by reminding her that she must be persistent in the midst of her frustration. When they try things more than once, children learn that they can overcome obstacles. Once the children reach a goal, you will want to congratulate them not only for the result but for the willpower not to give up. It helps to encourage along the way. So, find little steps to praise also. Make sure you acknowledge her for what she is doing right in the process of maturing.  For example, when she gets up on time, proactively completes chores, takes care of her hair and body by dressing nicely. By complimenting these areas, you are actually helping her recognize what positive feedback feels like and sounds like so she identifies that with quality self-care and self-esteem.

Through childhood, parents have opportunities to prepare their children to take care of themselves. Of соurѕе, it is good to fееl nееdеd, but аѕ children gain ѕеlf-соnfіdеnсе аnd gain independence, thе rеlаtіоnѕhір thеу have with уоu wіll bе ѕtrеngthеnеd. They will have links among you that are not based on dependency alone, but on shared love and pride about what they have achieved.

Have you faced the years of pre-teen and teendom?  What advice would you give fellow parents looking to help their children be more body aware and confident?