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.
What would you like to learn more about?
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body image
self comparison
looks and appearance
self-esteem
Is your child's perception of beauty distorted by media influence?Explore how retouched images of models and celebrities alter perceptions of beauty, and how the media influences your self-esteem, with our tips and activities.Images of people in the media are manipulated so dramatically these days, that it can feel like 'beauty' is less and less attainable. Help your child resist media influence and see the real picture.
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body image
self comparison
looks and appearance
self-esteem
Positive body confidence – how social media can affect body imageWhy 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.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.
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body image
looks and appearance
self-esteem
How to stop cyberbullying and protect your child from its effectsCyberbullying facts, advice on how to prevent cyberbullying, tips for dealing with cyberbullies for parents.New technology has made it easier for bullies to reach their victims. If you think your child is being affected, use our action checklist for advice on how to support and protect your child from cyberbullying.
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body image
looks and appearance
self-esteem
Chantelle Brown-Young and positive self image: teaching girls about individual beautyFrustrated by the portrayal of women in the media? Find new role models for teens, and help your daughter celebrate diversity and recognise her inner beauty.By speaking up about vitiligo, a condition that affects the pigment of the skin, ex-America’s Next Top Model (ANTM) contestant Chantelle Brown-Young is confidently expressing her individuality. Use her experience to start talking to your child about celebrating different types of beauty and developing their own positive body image.
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self comparison
looks and appearance
self-esteem
Why is social media important to young people?Why is social networking so important to young people? Explore the positive and negative effects of social media, and why it can cause loss of self-esteemArguably the biggest difference between our own teenage years and those of our children, social media is here to stay. So how do we help our young people use it in a positive way?
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body image
personal style
looks and appearance
Cracking compliments: teach your child how to take a complimentUse our Cracking Compliments video and tips to help your child learn how respond to compliments – and how to give compliments that aren't looks-focusedGiving your child a compliment should be simple, but some young people have a tendency to take things the wrong way. To help your child understand when someone is genuinely admiring or praising them, share our Cracking Compliments video and action checklist with them.
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body image
looks and appearance
self-esteem
Be Real: the campaign for body confidenceThe Dove Self-Esteem Project & Be Real Campaign support parents & teachers to increase self worth in teens & young women, helping them feel more body confidentAt Dove, we're committed to making beauty a source of confidence, not anxiety. That’s why we're a founding partner of the Be Real Campaign – a national movement formed in response to the Reflections on Body Image report from the All Party Parliamentary Group for Body Image. Together, we are campaigning to change attitudes to body image, put health above appearance, and help all of us be confident in our bodies.
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body image
looks and appearance
self-esteem
What is low body confidence?Dove is helping parents & teachers support young people to be more body confident, with body image articles, advice & confidence tips to fight low self-esteem.Low body confidence can be hard to identify and even harder to address, which is why Dove is on a mission to help everyone support young people to be more body confident.
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body image
looks and appearance
Confident Me – single sessionEducational 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 confidenceTeacher resources for our single session Dove Confident Me programme – all you need to run a one-off body-confidence workshop.
