5 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Addressing Your Teen’s Negative Body Image

Navigating the complex world of body image can be challenging for teens and their parents. With social media, peer pressure, and societal expectations, many young people struggle with their self-esteem and how they perceive their bodies.

As a parent, it’s crucial to approach these sensitive topics thoughtfully.

Here are five common mistakes to avoid when supporting your teen's body image concerns, along with what to do instead to foster a healthier mindset.

1. Dismissing Their Feelings

Why This Doesn’t Work: Telling your teen, “You look fine!” or “You have nothing to worry about!” can minimize their feelings and make them feel unheard.
 

What to Do Instead: Validate their emotions by listening actively. Instead of dismissing their concerns, try saying, “I hear that you’re feeling uncomfortable with your body right now. Can you tell me more about what’s bothering you?” This approach encourages open communication and lets your teen know that their feelings are valid.

2. Focusing Solely on Appearance

Why This Doesn’t Work: Emphasizing looks by frequently commenting on weight, clothing, or physical features can reinforce superficial standards.
 

What to Do Instead: Shift the focus from appearance to overall well-being. Encourage discussions about health, strength, and the things their bodies can do. Celebrate achievements that aren’t related to looks, like sports, academics, or personal interests. For example, saying, “I’m proud of how hard you worked on that project!” can help your teen value themselves beyond physical attributes.

3. Using Negative Language About Your Own Body

Why This Doesn’t Work: Criticizing your body or expressing dissatisfaction with your appearance can influence your teen’s perceptions of body image.
What to Do Instead: Model a positive body image by practicing self-acceptance and kindness towards yourself. Speak about your body in a way that promotes self-love. Instead of saying, “I hate how I look in this dress,” try, “I feel good in this outfit today!” Your teen will notice how you treat yourself and may adopt a similar mindset.

4. Offering Unsolicited Advice

Why This Doesn’t Work: Telling your teen how to “fix” their body image issues, like suggesting diets or workouts without understanding their feelings, can create resistance.
What to Do Instead: Instead of jumping straight to solutions, ask open-ended questions to explore their feelings. If they express a desire to change something, ask, “What do you think would help you feel better about yourself?” This empowers them to take charge of their body image journey and fosters intrinsic motivation.

5. Ignoring Media Influence

Why This Doesn’t Work: Believing that social media and peer influence have no impact on your teen's body image can lead to missed opportunities for important conversations.
What to Do Instead: Educate yourself and your teen about the effects of media on body image. Discuss how unrealistic portrayals in advertisements and social media can create harmful standards. Encourage critical thinking by asking, “What do you think about the images we see online?” This helps them develop a healthier relationship with media and recognize that many portrayals are edited or unrealistic.

The Bottom Line

Remember, the goal is to empower them to feel good about themselves—inside and out.