A teen with high self-esteem will be more likely to face challenges confidently, learn from mistakes and ask questions when he doesn't understand something. Discovery Health reports that a teen's self-esteem and confidence affect his decisions. Teens with lower self-confidence may be more apt to give into peer pressure and make poor decisions just to fit in. Parents, teachers, coaches and other adults in a teen's life can help improve the teen's self confidence.
Step 1
Talk about tough topics on a regular basis because teens are influenced by peer pressure. Improve your teen's level of confidence by giving her knowledge about serious issues such as drug use, unprotected sex and other dangerous behaviors. Discuss the consequences and allow your teen to ask questions. Let your teen know that she can come to you with questions and encourage her to talk to other adults such as her guidance counselor if she doesn't feel comfortable asking you a personal question. This will empower your teen, giving her more self-confidence to handle tough situations.
Step 2
Encourage your teen to try new things. If your teen expresses interest in learning how to paint, learning a new language or joining the soccer team at school, support him. Think about how you feel when you master a new technique. Learning new skills will improve your teen's self-confidence and give him more confidence.
Step 3
Tell your teen that it's all right to make mistakes. Let her know that fixing a mistake can teach her much more than doing something that she's always done the right way. Give her a couple examples of times that you've learned from mistakes.
Step 4
Brainstorm with your teen ways he can fix issues that he struggles with and help him to look at tough situations as challenges. If your teen says something is impossible, help him change that negative outlook to a positive one. For instance, if your teen is having trouble making friends at a new school and tells you that it'll be impossible, assist him in coming up with a game plan to make friends. He could join a new club or introduce himself to someone sitting next to him in class. Help your teen set realistic goals, so he can reach them and feel good about himself.
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