How Can Parents Help Overcome Insecurities of Teenagers?
Teenage insecurity is something that many teens suffer with at one time or another. That time in their lives is filled with uncertainty and changes, so it's natural to feel a bit insecure at times. However, as a parent, you should always be active in your teen's emotional development. While it's not specifically your job to make her feel secure, it is your job to help lead her to that security on her own.
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Building Rapport
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Build rapport with your teen so that he feels comfortable coming to you with his problems. Stay active and interested in his life and take the time to listen when he does want to talk. Whenever possible, ask his opinion, which helps him see that his opinion matters to you and that you take his feelings into consideration. Above all, don't be overly judgmental or strict when he does come to you with problems. Getting angry increases his insecurities. Instead, sit with him and help him come up with ways to resolve any real problems that may be causing the insecurity.
Keeping Things Constant
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Helping her stick to a constant eating and sleeping schedule may also help. A healthy and consistent eating schedule helps her deal with any physical insecurity brought on by weight or appearance. Similarly, lack of sleep may cause a sense of gloom that simply requires enough nightly sleep to alleviate. With so many hormonal changes taking place during the teenage years, it helps to control as many factors of daily life as possible.
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Proving His Worth
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Use examples in his life to prove to him that he isn't a failure or screwup. Remind him of some of the things he's done right, showing him his worth. Encouraging him with these irrefutable examples of success helps reinforce that, while he may not do everything right, he still shines in many areas. Instead of simply telling him "you're not a loser," the key is to convince him by using his own experiences.
Nobody is Perfect
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While the saying may be a bit cliche, teenagers focusing on their own imperfections often leads to insecurity. Remind them that everyone fails at times and makes mistakes, but that failing doesn't make a person a failure. Help them see their failures as opportunities to learn from their mistakes, changing failure from a negative experience into something to make them stronger.
When to Seek Help
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Sometimes the best thing you can do as a parent is get your teen professional help. A doctor or therapist may be able to help determine the underlying causes of his insecurities, offering potential solutions you may not be aware of. If you notice that your attempted help isn't helping his insecurity issues, it may be time to consider getting professional help. Also, if you ever feel that he's a risk to his own well-being, seek help.
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References
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