Activity: Adolescence is a turbulent time. Adolescents are constantly comparing themselves to others because of things like looks, success, intelligence, and today, social media statistics. Reminders and opportunities for them to acknowledge the positives about them can make the largest difference, so we hope you can try having a conversation with your child to help them bring out those positive thoughts about themselves! They might even surprise you and tell you things that they appreciate and admire about you too! Consider the following questions:
- What gives you confidence?
- What kinds of compliments mean the most to you?
- What is one quality you admire about your parent/teen?
Discussion: Use this space to reflect on your experience and how it made both you and your child feel. Did you recognize any of the positive traits that they brought up in yourself? You can even use this space to look back on your own adolescence, your self-esteem, and how your own parents played a role.
Check out these articles to get some more info and insight about how parent-child relationships can affect an adolescent growing up and into adulthood:
When you Don’t Feel Supported by Your Dad
Coming to Terms with a Fractured Parent Relationship
“Lady Bird” and Moms