Teenage is one of the most complex and vulnerable phases of life during which one deals with physical and hormonal changes and also battles emotional highs and lows. This is the stage when children are most curious and begin to question everything around them. Many children at this age struggle with low self-esteem or suffer from major confidence issues which impact their day-to-day lives and prevent them from making informed decisions. They have difficulty coping with trying circumstances and may often find themselves in awkward social situations. Thus, it is important for parents and elders in the family to address the issue early on.
Following are few steps parents can take to boost the self-esteem and confidence of their teenagers:
Praise Their Efforts And Offer Constructive Criticism
Praise the efforts made by your teenaged son or daughter even if the outcome is not satisfactory. A child always looks up to his parents or teachers for approval and support. Complementing them for the pains they took to accomplish a task motivates them to do it better the next time. Wisely choose your words in case of poor performance or failure; adopting a concerned tone rather than an angry or sarcastic one helps them rebuild confidence. While endless nagging is known to play havoc with the self-esteem of kids, constructive criticism plays a vital role in helping them attempt new challenges.
Ask For Their Opinions And Suggestions
Only a few years away from being legal adults, the teenagers want to be treated as grown-ups. Remember, they won’t suddenly start acting as an adult on their 18th birthday; try giving them opportunities early on. Ask for their ideas and opinions and, if possible, try to incorporate their suggestions on family and household matters. Discussing ideas encourages decision-making among young adults and also helps them act independently and assume newer responsibilities.
Encourage Them To Pursue Their Interests
Hobbies help youngsters build self-esteem and focus on their strengths. Parents should help their kids choose and develop hobbies and encourage their ward if he shows liking towards a particular activity. When children commit time to an extra-curricular activity, they slowly learn to strike a better study-play balance. These extra-curricular activities sometimes also prove to be great educational tools besides helping the youngsters learn patience and develop concentration and determination.
Let Them Make Mistakes
When children learn something new, they tend to make a few mistakes and some of them also fail their initial attempts. They are sad and also regret having taken the particular risk. But slowly, they learn to avoid same mistakes again and become richer by experience. It is only when they err that they learn to pay attention to details and then bounce back with resilience. So, it is okay for children to make mistakes and learn through experience. They can transform themselves into confident adults only when they move beyond their comfort zone.
Help Them Develop Social Skills
While a lot of teens have very active social lives and are popular among friends and relations, many of them are unable to mingle much with their peers. While some of them remain reserved by disposition, many of them may be struggling with their social skills. It is important for teens to learn to deal with interpersonal social situations as their inability to do so results in lowered self-esteem. It becomes a vicious circle because a kid with lower self-esteem tries to avoid social situations and is more at the risk of being bullied or succumbing to peer pressure. Thus, helping a child learn and develop his social skills goes a long way in shaping his persona into that of a confident and assertive adult.
