Quick Tips on Building Self Esteem in Teens

purple-orchid-1358518881rN0Building positive self esteem in teenagers is a major issue that many parents require assistance with. Therapists often strive to build positive self esteem for the teen clients they are working with.

Here are some of my quick thoughts on what has worked in building positive self esteem in children and teenagers:

Help your teen discover and develop his/her interests. It is always best to expose your teenager to as many different activities as possible to help them discover what they are interested in and where they excel. Helping your teen to discover a talent or special interest is a great way to help your teenager build positive self esteem. In addition to finding an ego building activity, they will also make friends who have similar likes and that will also boost positive self esteem.

Often times, academic performance has a large impact on a teen’s self esteem. If you see that your teenager is having challenges in his/her academics, be sure to address the issue before it gets worse. Identifying academic and learning issues early on is key to maintaining your child’s self esteem and building it in terms of academic performance.

Assigning your teenager a realistic task or responsibility is another great way of building positive self esteem. Sit down with your teen to discuss which responsibilities he/she would like to have as well as what is realistic for your family. Maybe walking the dog everyday or helping with the dishes, maintaining the houseplants, etc. Having a responsibility will help your teenager earn respect in the household is a great way to build positive self esteem.