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 daughter or son 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?
Top Tips for Parents on Building your Child's Self-Esteem
1. Love yourself
Have you ever found yourself looking in the mirror and frowning, or moaning about how you look? You may not even realise you’re doing it, but your daughter probably will. It’s not easy to change the way you look at yourself, but the good news is that a few techniques can help you create better feelings towards your body and, in turn, your daughter will pick up on your positivity.
2. Less fat talk, more fun talk
By focusing less on weight and body shape in your conversations, greetings and compliments, you can break the habit of reinforcing beauty stereotypes. If your friend picks up a new sport, try asking them how it makes them feel rather than how much weight they’ve lost.
3. Beauty in the Media
Encourage your child to understand that media images are frequently manipulated, and rarely representative of reality. Your child can start to see through them and realise that it’s not worth comparing the way they look to the unrealistic images in the media.
4. Celebrate the 'Real Me'
Unlock your daughter’s inner beauty by encouraging her to express her self-confidence. Download the full parent’s guide for activities you can do with your child to celebrate their inner beauty and build their self confidence.
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