Teens And Self Esteem

Self esteem is one of the most important aspects of a young teenagers life. Self esteem can be the single determining factor when it comes to the way your teenager shows up and makes decisions in their own life. Self esteem can effect the way the way your teenager interacts with those around them and it can also be a big part of the path that they take in their life because self esteem can instill confidence which can help them make better choices and decisions in their life on a daily basis.

Self esteem is a big issue for most teenagers not only because of the fact that they’re going through big changes in their body and their social situations but also because of the influences that they have from other friends, parents, teachers, and more importantly the media. A teenager that is able to maintain a strong core of self-esteem and positive self expression is much more likely to be able to hand big life challenges than if they were to be suffering from poor self-esteem and body image.

Teenagers that have a good support network of family and friends that they can rely on often do better in the area of self esteem than those who have unhappy home lives or poor social skills and they are often better equipped to make decisions about friends, activities, and behaviors. When teenagers with such a network of family or friends are able to build up their self esteem during their adolescent years it can make a big difference in the path that their life takes. Teens with high self esteem are far less like to do drugs, drink alcohol, engage in illicit activities, have premature or unsafe sex, and a whole myriad of other things that can potentially cause problems for them.

While having a good support of family and friends there are also other ways that a teenager can build up their self esteem. A great way to start is with a hobby or an activity that the teen really enjoys such as a sport, a type of art or dance, or perhaps a skill they are developing like paying an instrument. These kinds of activities are positive reinforcement as they grow their abilities in such an area. They can also be a way of releasing stress from school, friends, or family situations and can provide a bit of a way to remove themselves from and drama or problems they might be having in their life. Such activities shouldn’t be used as a way for teens to escape their problems but rather as a healthy way to gain some balance and perspective in their lives. These activities can also be a contribution to a healthy lifestyle such as exercise.

The important thing here is to remember that your teen is at a crucial development stage in their life and that they need all the support that they can get. IF you provide them with the tools and the attention they need to build their self esteem it can go a long way to serving them later in life.