Feeling self-conscious about your body and look is not abnormal these days. If you try to recall you would find the time by when you were first triggered by someone's comment on your body image. It must be when you were 16-17 years old in the late 90s. But in today's time, things are changing rapidly so do the new generation. According to a study girls at a very young age are becoming self-conscious about their looks and bodies. Their age of feeling insecure and that of ours has a minimum 10 years gap. If you have a preteenager/teenager at home and you worry if they are under the influence of this body-image issue, tally these signs to find out.
Calling themself/others fat or ugly
Ever heard your daughter gossiping with her friend on phone calling a third girl fat or ugly? Or screaming looking at the mirror "Oh Gosh! how ugly do I look?" Now as a parent you got to be there for her and tell her that everyone goes through these body changes and it is necessary for one's proper growth. Tell her that flaunting with flaws and accepting the change can make her more confident than before.
Checking imperfections in the mirror before going out
If she goes again and again in front of the mirror before leaving for tuition or school, it is definitely one of the major signs that she is becoming self-conscious about her looks. Your smart parenting can take out a lot of negativity from your daughter only if you are giving her full attention and support. Be around her whenever you get time, take her out for shopping, and compliment each girl you see in the market, about their smiles, eyes, and baggy dresses or call a girl cute who is not tall or of average height. If she still points out an "imperfection" in them, you should let her know that we all are born with imperfections.
Asking you to shave her body hair
If your girl denies to go out because she has recently noticed her tiny mustache and pulls you aside to ask you to take a look at her upper lip, it is also a sign that your daughter is becoming self-conscious about her looks. Being a parent of a teenager is super hard and I understand the dilemma of not letting her feel bad about her appearance and also letting her remove it if it bothers her because removing body hair is not a big deal but what is to make sure that she also learns that Mustache or body hair is a part of puberty and she understands the science behind this.
Using filters to take selfies
Social media is the biggest platform for making teenagers feel insecure about their looks and shapes. Camera features like, redefining the shapes of eyes, nose, and jawline and removing pimples and scars have an enormous contribution to them becoming self-conscious about their looks. Teach your teenager that pimples are fine and there is nothing to be worried about in that. Ask them to exercise and eat healthily and hydrate themselves to glow without using any filter.
ALSO READ | Teens Hurting Themselves: The New Cool
ALSO READ | Women talking about Sexual dissatisfaction has become a Big deal for the Trollers
ALSO READ | Skincare rules College Girls must follow
