How Do Parental And Peer Behaviors Relate To Adolescents’ Self-esteem?

1. Love the adolescent and demonstrate it through meaningful interaction–conversations around the dinner table, family nights out, loving questions regarding their welfare and their progress at school–these will give the child a base of confidence with which he/she can approach other aspects of their life.
2. Provide your adolescent with purposeful challenges to their abilities that they are capable of doing but which will require effort on their part–things like mowing the lawn or organizing family belongings, or more complicated tasks depending on their cognitive and physical development (start small if necessary, then work up)–and afterwards offer limited but sincere praise and compliments. Self-esteem (and responsibility) is built in children and adults when a person realizes that they are capable of achieving useful and important tasks.
3. Encourage the adolescent to become involved in activities and youth organizations that promote responsibility and achievement. Scouting, JROTC, team sports, individual sports (such as karate), and other worthwhile activities promote a sense of competency out of which true self-esteem is born.
4. Help your adolescent choose his friends wisely. Studies indicate that peer attitudes are often much more influential on an adolescent’s outlook on life and their self-image than those of his/her parents. It is your role as a parent to provide the proper guidance (and in some cases, supervision) to the adolescent regarding their peer interactions.