Boost our daughters' confidence this 2020 with body positivity
MANILA, Philippines — As Filipinos, we know how social media has given rise to ideas and stories that can influence our perception of the world, even more so of ourselves. However, it is not always in the most encouraging way.
The youth, especially teenage girls—impressionable as they are—are prone to this. In a Dove study released at a recent event, it was revealed that over half of the world’s girls have low self-esteem.
This must be changed and let's start this 2020 through the Dove Self Esteem Project. Since 2004, it has aimed to help young people all over the world develop a positive relationship with the way they look, thereby raise their self-esteem and realize their full potential.
Recently, the Dove Self Esteem Project held the forum aptly dubbed Girl Talk. Here are some of the things we learned, which we hope you can learn as well, from the forum:
1. Start in the home
Growing teens should be getting the best counsel as they develop their sense of “self.” There is, of course, no better place for this than the home. As a living space with family, it should be a sanctuary where they should be free to express themselves, and freer to ask questions about their bodies that are still going through significant changes.
“As a mom, you want to guide your kids, but being careful of how you say things without hurting them—without being so critical—it’s trying to be aware of the words I say,” shared Gabby Limjoco, mom and guest speaker.
She is the founding partner and director of Play Works Early Childhood Center, a playschool for early childhood development.
2. Shut down stereotypes
Filipino false notions of ideal appearance should have no place among family and friends. The maputi is maganda or straight hair is better than kulot, as examples, should be extinguished from our collective beauty repertoire.
“In general, Filipinos should stop commenting on physical traits when bantering as if it’s a form of affection. Be tactful especially with kids. It’s just opening the conversation and helping them to know that there are other things to highlight that isn’t skin color, weight, the texture of hair. Open conversations on other things” said Limjoco in an exclusive interview with Philstar.com.
She was echoed by co-guest speaker and fellow mom Janice Villanueva, who is also a parenting advocate, teacher, mom-preneur, and founder of Mommy Mundo.
3. Set examples, relatable conversations
Since parents, teachers and caregivers are the primary individuals whom children and teens look up to in their early years, they should themselves learn to set the bar when it comes to building self-esteem and a positive outlook.
“When we make comments about ourselves and others, I’m sure they pick up on that. It’s also about pushing our children to try new things, so we have to step up on our game because they really watch us. Open up about yourself, and then make it a teaching moment. Let them know that it’s okay to come to you for anything, that they won’t always be met with anger or disapproval,” said Villanueva.
4. Encourage social media literacy
It has been said time and again that not everything is what it seems, and this is truest about what teens see online. Since it seems counterproductive to ban teens from going online, an effective way around it is to strengthen social media literacy.
Teach teens about “healthy skepticism” so that they gauge and discern truths from falsehoods, stave off anxieties through a smarter and more nuanced approach.
A reliable resource
When it comes to teaching young teens about body positivity and building self-esteem, parents, teachers, and primary caregivers need all the help they can get.
That’s why the Dove Self Esteem Projects (DSEP) has all the resources online to guide them every step of the way. Since its establishment, DSEP has reached more than 20 million young people across 139 countries. Its ambition is to touch 20 million more lives by the end of 2020, with 2 million expected to come from the Philippines.
Together with global education experts, all DSEP modules have guided discussions and engaging exercises that cover topics such as Learning to Love Yourself, Body Talk, Media Literacy, Bullying, and Teasing at Home.
To download the modules and learn more about the project, visit dove.com/selfesteem.
