How to Help a Teenager With Low Self-Esteem

Is your teen full of self-doubt, constantly comparing themselves to others, or brushing off every compliment you give them? Low self-esteem can show up in so many ways, and it's hard to watch.

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In this episode, I sit down with Kristi Simons, a former teacher turned teen life coach and host of the Confident Teen Podcast. We talk about what's wearing down teens' confidence today, why the way we talk to our teens becomes the way they talk to themselves, and why resilience matters even more than confidence.

The voice your teen hears in their head is often the voice they hear at home. When most of what they hear is correction and "you should," they start to believe they're never enough. Kindness and belief, repeated again and again, can become their new inner voice.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN

• Why your words become your teen's inner voice
• How to build confidence without creating a big ego
• Why letting teens feel hard emotions builds confidence
• What to do when your compliments don't land
• Why resilience matters more than confidence
• How reminding teens of what they've already overcome builds belief in themselves

EPISODE CHAPTERS

• 00:00 Building teen confidence
• 01:02 Kristi's path from teacher to teen life coach
• 03:30 What's wearing down teens' confidence
• 05:06 Building confidence without a big ego
• 09:34 How criticism becomes your teen's inner voice
• 14:02 Why pushing down emotions hurts confidence
• 18:43 Reminding teens what they've already overcome
• 21:11 When your compliments don't land
• 24:07 Why resilience matters more than confidence
• 26:51 Why kindness builds self-worth
• 28:23 Repair, and being kind to yourself
• 31:42 You're not failing as a parent
• 33:11 A simple tool for frustrating moments

RESOURCES MENTIONED

• Teen Audit with Kristi Simons
• Confident Teen Podcast
• The Empowerment Dynamic

CONNECT WITH KRISTI SIMONS

• Website: KristiSimonsCoaching.com
• Instagram: @confidentteenteacher
• Podcast: Confident Teen Podcast

CONNECT WITH DR. CAM CASWELL

• Website: AskDrCam.com
• Instagram: @DrCamCaswell
• Parenting Teens Academy

ABOUT THE SHOW

Parenting Teens with Dr. Cam is hosted by Dr. Cam Caswell, an adolescent psychologist and certified parenting coach. Each episode gives you practical strategies, expert advice, and real-world insight to build a stronger relationship with your teen.

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