Have you noticed that your teen is hesitant to post a #nofilter selfie? They’re not alone! The impact of digital distortion has never been more prominent, especially amongst teenage girls. Here are three simple exercises to help your teen build her body confidence, and love the skin she’s is in!
New research by Dove has found 3 in 4 teenage girls use filters or re-touching apps to change the way they look by the age of 13.
The same research showed that more than three-quarters of Australian teen and pre-teen girls will delete a selfie if they felt they didn’t look perfect in it.
It’s safe to say that social media will be sticking around for some time and when it comes to the impact of it on our well-being, it’s often more about how we’re using social media, rather than how long we’re scrolling for. It’s not all bad! Some of the positives include:
- Reduced social isolation through online connections and actively engaging with others.
- Exposure to body-positive role models.
- An endless array of free tutorials and classes to learn and get inspiration from.
Of course, we tend to compare ourselves to other people. Social media offers us myriad opportunities for comparisons throughout the day. People tend to share highlight reels of their lives, which can leave us with FOMO and feeling like we’re not good enough.
Add in the use of filters and retouching apps that are creating an unrealistic and unachievable standard of beauty, and it’s no wonder our teens are suffering from lack of body confidence. According to studies, comparing the way we look to filtered images can result in low self-esteem and body confidence after just five minutes of scrolling.
It’s a scary thought.
To help parents educate their teenagers to embrace who they are, Dr Phillippa Diedrichs, a Professor of Psychology and advisor to the world’s largest self-esteem education provider the Dove Self-Esteem Project shares three simple exercises you can do with your teen to help them build body confidence.
Exercise 1: Have a little bit of ‘me’ time
What young teenagers tend to forget is that most people only share the ‘best’ parts of their lives or of themselves online. With 4 out of 5 girls saying they compare the way they look to other people on social media, posting the perfect selfie can feel like an obligation rather than a fun activity to share with your friends.
If your teen is feeling down or not up to social media standards, suggest they take ‘me-time’ breaks away from social media and do things that make them feel good, like exercising, hanging out with your pet or enjoying quality time with your family or friends. Then, when they’re feeling refreshed return to social media, unfollow accounts that don’t uplift them, and find accounts that teach them new things and make them feel inspired and connected.
Exercise 2: Acceptance and appreciation exercises
To help your child practice body acceptance, encourage them to stand in front of the mirror and write down five things they like about the way they look and five things they like about their personality. Repeat this a couple of times a week. If coming up with 10 things is a struggle at first, start with smaller ones and build their way up. This will help them learn to appreciate themselves and feel more comfortable in their own skin.
When it comes to body confidence, another great strategy is focusing on the things our bodies allow us to do, rather than just how they look. Spend a few moments a week writing down or recording voice memos that list the things they appreciate what their body can do; this could include creative expression, movement, and its power to rest, heal and restore.
Exercise 3: Celebrate individuality
A fun and practical activity you can do to celebrate each other’s individuality is by listing out all the things that make you special, this could include your cultural heritage and your unique likes, dislikes and quirky traits. Found in the Dove Confidence Kit, use the template to sit down with your teenager to talk about all the great things that make you unique. A great way to express yourself is by drawing your responses and explaining to one another what you’ve drawn.
Display your artwork on the fridge or walls to remind yourselves you are valuable and important just as you are. Then, when it comes to social media, encourage your teen to think about creative ways they can express and post about their unique qualities.
For more information and tips on how to help boost your teenager’s self-confidence and self-esteem visit the Dove Confidence Kit.
