How to Build Self-Esteem in Teenage Girls

Posted on By Varsha

The teenage years can be an emotionally turbulent time for girls as they go through puberty and develop their identity. With all the changes happening in their bodies and minds, it’s common for girls to struggle with low self-esteem during this period. As a parent or mentor, you can help guide them to build a strong sense of self-worth. Here are some tips.

Encourage Healthy Activities

Getting involved in hobbies and sports provides an outlet for self-expression and mastery. Whether it’s joining the netball team or taking up guitar lessons, finding activities she’s passionate about gives your teen a confidence boost. Along with physical activities, creative pursuits like writing, drawing or journaling allow girls to nurture their talents and feel proud of what they can accomplish. Developing competency through practice promotes feelings of self-efficacy. 

If you are fostering teenagers, this is an important tool you can use with teenage girls who may have low self-esteem caused by parental neglect. Use healthy physical actitives as a bonding exercise or provide a journal for creative writing.

Model Self-Care

Make sure you model and encourage daily self-care habits for your teen. Simple routines like getting enough sleep, eating nutritious meals, exercising and taking time to decompress all contribute to better physical and mental health. Establishing healthy routines early on means they’ll stick for life. When we feel our best, we project and feel more confidence. Help your teen incorporate self-care practices into her daily life.

Limit Social Media Usage

While apps like Instagram and TikTok can be fun ways for teenage girls to express themselves, excessive social media usage often negatively impacts self-esteem. Set reasonable limits around phone and internet use to prevent comparison with carefully curated profiles. Encourage face-to-face interactions with friends instead. Supervise internet use and be aware of signs of cyberbullying which can secretly erode self-worth.  

Celebrate Strengths

Pay attention to what your teen excels at and nurture those strengths. Maybe she’s a whiz in the kitchen or has an eye for photography. Regularly praising her natural talents and abilities focuses her on the positive. Being recognised for what she’s good at counters the critical inner voice many teenage girls grapple with. Remind her that competence comes in many forms.  

Surround Her with Positive Role Models

From relatives to teachers to celebrities, make sure your teen has regular contact with supportive women who inspire her. Seeing confident females thriving in various endeavours exposes girls to examples of healthy self-esteem. Identify which influential people could have a beneficial impact and facilitate opportunities for your teen to interact with them. Arrange mentoring if possible.  

Listen without Judgement

Create an open, non-judgmental environment where your teen feels comfortable confiding her insecurities to you. Active listening with empathy, free from criticism or lectures, helps alleviate her distress. Simply allowing girls to voice their feelings makes them feel validated. Provide reassurance by emphasising their intrinsic worth is not defined by the issues they’re facing.   

While ups and downs with self-confidence are par for the course during the teenage years, implementing positive practices helps girls nurture resilience. With care and support from the influential adults in her life, a teen can weather stormy passages and emerge feeling empowered. Focus on her character strengths rather than temporary setbacks.