Building self-esteem

Do you want to boost your child’s self-esteem? Use our practical articles and activities to help your daughter or son develop a positive body image, and worry less about how their looks compare with others.

Young people change enormously during adolescence, and sometimes their self-esteem suffers. As a parent, you want to help your child feel good about themselves, and having positive conversations about appearance is an important part of that.

You need to be tuned in to your child's changing needs, and help them develop an empowered attitude to their looks. You can also raise their confidence by discouraging them from comparing themselves with others, whether friends, classmates or people in the media.

Focusing on who they are as a person, and their relationships with family and friends, will reduce negative body talk. We’ve compiled these articles and activities to help your child make that shift – and to give you some ideas on how to support them.

So start reading and sharing today – and help boost your child's confidence.

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A tool to build positive body confidence in your child
Start here, use our parent’s resource Confidence Kit to boost your child's self-esteem.

Average read time: 4mins read

As a parent, it’s natural to want the best for your child – for them to be happy, healthy and confident individuals.

But that’s sometimes easier said than done, especially during the teen and pre-teen years when their bodies are changing, their self-confidence is fragile and they are trying to make that tricky transition out of childhood.

Read more A tool to build positive body confidence in your child
Body talk and positive body image for kids
Be mindful of how you talk to kids about their body.

Average read time: 4mins read

We’re talking about...

Read more Body talk and positive body image for kids
Confident Me – five sessions
Teaching materials on body-image and the media – activities, videos and worksheets to help boost young people's body confidence and improve their self-esteem

Average read time: 3mins read

Our Confident Me body-confidence teaching materials explore influences on young people's body image and self-esteem.

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Confident Me – single session
Educational materials looking at the media's influence on body image and self-esteem, with videos, presentations and worksheets to help build young people's body confidence

Average read time: 3mins read

Teacher resources for our single session Dove Confident Me programme – all you need to run a one-off body-confidence workshop.

Read more Confident Me – single session
Confident Me – training videos for teachers
Click here to watch our range of Confident Me training videos – all designed to help you deliver self-esteem workshops successfully.

Average read time: 4mins read

Click here to watch our range of Confident Me training videos – all designed to help you deliver self-esteem workshops successfully.

Read more Confident Me – training videos for teachers
Dove & Steven Universe
Dove and Cartoon Network:Our Episodes

Average read time: 0min read

Dove and Cartoon Network:Our Episodes

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Dove and Cartoon Network are helping girls build self-esteem
Building self-esteem in young people through cartoons, for the first time

Looking for help with self-esteem and body image? Discover cartoons by Dove and Cartoon network to help young people with body confidence and self-esteem issues.

Read more Dove and Cartoon Network are helping girls build self-esteem
Positive body confidence – how social media can affect body image
Why do young people love social media? And could their use of it cause body confidence issues? Advice on minimising the negative impacts of social media.

Average read time: 6mins read

In the dazzling world of social media, today’s youth are often living their lives in full view of an online audience. For those from a different generation, the idea of ‘checking in’ online or sharing a selfie to let people know where you are and what you're up to might seem bizarre. But for young people today, getting ‘likes’ on photos, posts or comments in the virtual world can bring a powerful sense of accomplishment and community acceptance.

Read more Positive body confidence – how social media can affect body image
Puberty in girls: help your daughter through the transition to womanhood
Worried about how to guide your daughter through body changes in puberty? Our puberty facts, advice and tips will help her through the transition to womanhood

Average read time: 10mins read

The ups and downs of growing up can leave parents confused, and their daughters bewildered. Every girl’s experience of puberty is different, but this tumultuous time can be easier if you understand what's going on beneath the surface.

Read more Puberty in girls: help your daughter through the transition to womanhood