Teens go through a wealth of changes as their bodies and emotions transform from a child to an adult. Physical and emotional changes can be challenging for some teens to tackle. The result in some cases is low self-confidence or self-esteem. Having low self-confidence can mean that your teen may not feel good enough compared to others or feel poorly about how they look, feel or act.
Step 1
Shower your teen with compliments and encouragement. If he is experiencing self-confidence issues, reinforcing his strong points will help him know he has your support. When he achieves a good grade in school, shower him with praise and let him know the payoff will be great for his educational future. If he is singled out in school or in the community for his volunteerism or community service, reinforce that you are proud of his efforts. Keeping a clean room or finishing household tasks without asking deserves praise and recognition. This will let him know he is appreciated.
Step 2
Encourage your teen to engage in sports. While not all teens are natural athletes, try to encourage her to find something that stimulates her mentally and physically. Sports give teens something to focus on. It teaches them discipline, sportsmanship and gives them feelings of personal accomplishment.
Step 3
Introduce your teen to new hobbies and activities. Cooking, crafts, scrapbooking and jewelry making are just some activities that boys and girls can learn. This will help him complete a task and gain self-confidence. Encourage him to volunteer for those less fortunate or to become active with recycling or improving run-down areas of the community he lives in.
Step 4
Support the teen's decisions constructively. If she decides to drop out of a long-standing sport or school-related club, don't be quick to criticize or yell at her. Ask why she is making the decision and try to support her as much as possible.
Step 5
Learn the warning signs for low self-esteem in your teen. It is important to be able to recognize when a teen is experiencing low self-esteem. If you don't know what the signs are you can't help him. Signs may include putting himself down, being unusually hard on himself if he fails at a task, saying he is unliked or unloved, avoiding social situations, dropping out of sports or activities easily and isolating himself from family.
Tips and Warnings
- Low self-esteem can also indicate depression. Depression that is untreated can lead to self mutilation and suicide if left unresolved. If your teen continues to experience low self-esteem despite your intervention, seek the advice of her medical doctor or a licensed therapist.
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