Do you have a teenager at home?
Teenagers begin to separate from their parents and establish their own identity. Friends and being accepted by a group of friends become more important for them.
However the sudden and rapid physical changes that your teenager goes through make him/her very self-conscious, sensitive, and worried about his/her own body changes.
This may result in a low self-esteem, which makes life even harder for him/her. We all have been through the same road haven’t we? Time to banner up that rebellious, sleepy, shy teenager of yours! Let me tell you how:
First of all you should create reasons to be proud of your teenager.
He/she is definitely too worried about his/her outlook. You should convince him/her that appearance is not important at all since beauty is very relative.
He/she probably has a hobby or something that he/she likes doing. Encourage your teenager to spend time on that hobby. It might be an instrument he/she likes playing or it might be some sports he/she likes participating.
Make sure you praise every little accomplishment. Once I remember the father of a friend of mine at a school basketball game with a pull up stand with my friend’s photo on, writing: “You are my number 1. No matter what!” You know what, that kid was a regular player in the team. But he got a basketball scholarship from a well-known college. Supporting your kid and being proud of him/her definitely pays!
Secondly, you should give responsibilities to him/her. Make him/her volunteer in social projects.
Or pick up his/her brother/sister from school. Encourage him/her to have part-time jobs like tutoring or babysitting.
Give your kid a chance to explore their passions. Do not be the sort of parents that nag all the time. Encourage him/her to be with friends like himself/herself. Teach him/her how to look at life positively.
Last but not the least, I do like my friend’s father. Design a roll up banner with a list of what you like about your kid and place it in his/her room. So everyday it is the first thing he/she sees when he/she wakes up. Because remembering that her/his parents appreciate him/her will surely make him/her feel better. Wouldn’t you?