Expert resources for parents and mentors to help raise young people’s self-esteem
The evidenced-based resources on this site have been specifically designed to encourage young people to develop and maintain a healthy body image during the transition to adulthood.
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In a world that constantly tells young people how they should look and has a narrow definition of “beautiful”, how can we help them value their unique beauty and stay true to themselves?
Working with experts from the fields of psychology, health, and media, the Dove Self-Esteem Project has developed a range of resources – including videos, activities, case studies, and professional advice – to help guide parents and teenagers.
As well as helping you understand how your child is feeling, our materials will help you counter the negative influence of the media and bullying on young people’s body image.
Research shows that spending just 30 minutes engaging with the resources on this site will empower you to boost the self-esteem and mood of the young person you love – and improve your own body image, too. So what are you waiting for?
Learn at Home with Confident Me
Help a young person you know while they learn at home through confidence-boosting mini lessons and self-esteem activities.
Download hereOur Topics
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Family, Friends & Relationships
Articles and activities to help parents communicate with children & offer support with friendship problems, sibling relationships, and body image7 -
Respecting & Looking After Yourself
Articles, activities, and relationship advice for parents to help their teenage child overcome low self-esteem and build body confidence during the stages of puberty6 -
Teasing & Bullying
Information on bullying and different types of bullying, such as bullying in school and cyberbullying, including why bullies bully and how to help stop bullying71 -
Media & Celebrities
Advice for parents on how the media, advertising, and celebrity role models influence young people’s body image and self-confidence.6 -
Talking About Appearance
Discover how appearance affects self-esteem, and help your teenager deal with the effects of social media, peer pressure, media ideals, fat talk, and more71
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(50 articles )
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![Dove Body talk and self-esteem in kids]()
family
talking topics
body image
body confidence
looks and appearance
body talk
self-esteem
parent
3 to 9 years
Body talk and positive body image for kidsWe’re talking body talk and how to build positive body image in kids – join us.If you’re wondering how to build self-esteem in children, find out more about body talk, being a role model and boosting confidence.
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![Dove Words of encouragement: how you can support your child]()
parenting
mother-daughter relationships
generation gap
parent
11 to 16 years
Words of encouragement: how you can support your childDo you offer your child words of wisdom and encouragement? It could encourage them to open up, strengthen your parent-child bond, and boost their self-esteem.Life can feel lonely for teenagers. Have you considered writing a message of support to your child about being a teenager? Sharing your own experiences, words of wisdom, and encouragement can help you empathize with them and improve your conversations.
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![Communicating with teens]()
parenting
mother-daughter relationships
positive talk
talking topics
psychology
behavior change
parent
11 to 16 years
The Parent Translator: a tool to tackle communication skillsHow to improve your listening skills and verbal communication to talk effectively to your child & overcome teenage communication problems.Communicating with your child should be easy. But miscommunication is easier. You make a simple comment about what they’re wearing and they storm off, slamming the door. You ask what they had for lunch and they assume it’s an attack about their diet. While you’re just trying to show how much you care about them, their reactions suggest you’re speaking a different language.
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![Dove How to have a great father-daughter relationship]()
father-daughter relationships
parenting
parent
8 to 16 years
How to have a great father-daughter relationshipHow to build a strong father daughter-relationship and improve your communication skills to support your daughter growing upYou may never have been a girl yourself, but that shouldn’t be a barrier to father-daughter bonding. You want your daughter to grow into a self-confident young woman – and she’s going to need her dad on her side.
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![Dove Standing up against bullies]()
bullying
talking topics
looks and appearance
parent
3 to 9 years
Standing up against bulliesStanding up against bullies can be hard. Here’s what you can do to help kids fight bullying.As a parent or guardian, you might be wondering what you can do to help fight bullying. Find out how to help kids stand up against bullying.
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![Dove How to deal with bullying]()
bullying
talking topics
body image
looks and appearance
self-esteem
parent
3 to 9 years
Talking to kids: how to deal with bullyingTeasing and bullying can cause low self-esteem and body image. Discover how to talk about it with the kids in your life.Find out more about teasing and bullying, effects on children and what you can do to help the young people in your life.
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![Dove Media and stereotypes]()
talking topics
female stereotypes
body image
looks and appearance
self-esteem
parent
stereotypes
3 to 9 years
diversity
The influence of media on kids: what to look forWhat children see on their screens can have a big impact on their self-esteem. Discover the influence of media on kids here.Discover the influence of media on kids, how to choose inclusive and diverse media and what to look out for.
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![Dove Teaching kids about inner beauty and diversity]()
talking topics
body image
looks and appearance
parent
body functionality
3 to 9 years
diversity
Teaching kids to celebrate diversityEveryone is unique. Here’s how to celebrate diversity and inner beauty with the kids in your life.Everyone is unique. Here’s how to teach kids to celebrate diversity and inner beauty over appearance.
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![Dove Talking to kids about body confidence]()
positive talk
talking topics
body image
body confidence
looks and appearance
body talk
self-esteem
parent
body functionality
3 to 9 years
Talking to kids about body confidenceOur bodies are brilliant – so let’s celebrate them. Here’s how to talk to kids about body positivity and body functionality.Our bodies are so much more than they look like. Find out how to talk to kids about body positivity and body functionality.
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