Much of a child’s self esteem comes from the environment they grow up in, as well as how people treat them. If your teen suffers academic problems, some of this possibly ties to their feelings of self-worth. Learn more about how improving self esteem improves academics and use some simple tips to help your teen excel in school and through their life. When you need professional help, our mental health programs can lead your teen on the right path.
How Improving Self Esteem Improves Academics
Your young person’s self esteem impacts everything they do. How the teen engages with others, handles challenges, and participates in activities comes down to their self-image and confidence. Low self esteem also affects your teen’s academics, such as their desire to learn, take risks, and focus. For them to succeed in school, they need to feel good about their capabilities.
Unfortunately, there is no way to teach someone how to have positive self esteem. But you can help your teen build self esteem by providing them with support and encouragement. When you show them appreciation, for example, this improves their self-image.
Young people also need security in knowing that you support them even when they do not do well. They need your confidence that they can turn their struggles around in order to try doing so at all.
When your teen feels supported, they work harder to find their way through complex problems. This translates to their school performance. Studies prove that in teens, improving self esteem improves academics.
How to Help Improve Your Teen’s Self Esteem for Academic Success
Praise positive things about your teen, citing specific reasons for that praise. Your young person will see right through any fake or insincere praise. So be sure you point out their strengths and reinforce your confidence in them because of those positive traits.
Provide thoughtful feedback on their work. If your teen writes a report, for example, tell them what helped you engage in their writing. Explain what you like about their efforts. When they show improvement in school work, praise that progress. Let them know you notice and their successes make you proud.
If your loved one fails to see their own positive attributes, point these out to them. Help them see how they grow and progress in their efforts over time. Point out concrete examples, so they can see how much they have improved in their schoolwork.
Showcase your teen’s achievements. Maintain a bulletin board or shelf of things that remind them of specific accomplishments. If they enjoy hobbies or activities, frame photos or certificates of those favorite events, too.
Talk to your teen with full attention each day. Help them feel like you value their input, feedback, conversation, and needs. When they suffer failures, help them understand it is not actually a failure, but a way to learn in life that everyone experiences from time to time.
Improving Self-Esteem with Outside Help
If your teen suffers behavioural and school problems, the root cause is possibly more than just low self-esteem. Help them find their way back to a happy, successful life through mental health treatment and therapeutic support. Programs and treatments to help your teen include:
- Treatment for troubled teens
- Individual therapy
- Educational support
- Group therapy
- 30 day assessment and intervention
- Individualized treatment plans
- Family counselling
In Alberta, Ontario, and British Columbia, Venture Academy provides the support and treatment your teen needs for greater academic success and happiness. Call Venture Academy now at 866.762.2211 to learn more about available programs and how improving self esteem improves academics.