Body Confidence In Tweens | Body Image Girls

Parenting / 8 April, 2025 / Ellie Thompson

Supporting girls through the tween years is a privilege and a challenge. As daughters grow up, their sense of self and confidence can be impacted by the world around them. Nurturing body confidence in tweens is crucial to help them feel capable, strong, and positive about who they are becoming.

Experts Janet Boseovski, PhD, and Ashleigh Gallagher, PhD, provide practical, evidence-based strategies for fostering genuine body confidence in girls, setting them up for resilience and lifelong well-being.

Changes in the Tween Years

Transitioning from childhood to tweenhood can be surprising for those who know and love a young girl. This period is marked by a growing awareness of how others view her, leading to concerns about body image and appearance. Girls may lose some childhood optimism during this developmental phase.

Understanding Body Confidence

Body confidence goes beyond appearance. It is about feeling capable and knowing what our bodies can do. Focusing solely on appearance can detract from developing other aspects of identity and accomplishments.

Strategies for Body Confidence

Empowering girls with body confidence involves building self-efficacy, promoting food and physical literacy, redirecting excessive focus on physical appearance, broadening self-concept beyond looks, and normalizing body changes during puberty.

1. Focus on Building Self-Efficacy

Celebrate your daughter’s strengths and achievements to boost her belief in her abilities.

2. Develop Food and Physical Literacy

Teach your daughter to care for her body through proper nutrition and regular physical activity.

3. Redirect Excessive Focus on Appearance

Encourage mindfulness and self-compassion to shift attention away from appearance-based thoughts.

4. Broaden Self-Concept

Highlight traits, characteristics, and skills that contribute to a strong self-concept beyond physical appearance.

5. Set Expectations for Body Changes

Discuss puberty and emphasize that changes in the body are natural and not shameful.

The tween years offer a chance for girls to explore their identity and gain independence. By focusing on internal qualities rather than external appearance, mothers can help build lasting body confidence in their daughters.

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