Self-care is an important practice at any age. But for tweens and teenage girls, this transition period in their lives is an extremely vital time to embrace self-compassion. Navigating the many changes during these years isn’t always easy, but these few practices can help them feel more manageable. Here are some of the self-care ideas that can be a good start to creating a long-lasting routine of making oneself a priority.
Invest in Personal Care
Self-care can mean different things for different girls, but one habit that is always good to incorporate is an investment in one’s cleanliness. Prioritizing your hygiene can not only help you look your best, but taking care of oneself is also a valuable practice for young girls to grasp at an early age.
That being said, this type of self-care doesn’t need to be boring. Think about shopping for personal hygiene gift sets that go above and beyond just getting the job done, but quality products that feel good and smell great that promote fun daily use. Treating your face and other body concerns with good products can also set the stage for healthier skin in the long run. Specifically, consider finding a clean beauty company without harsh chemicals. This type of investment in ingredients works with your body, rather than against it.
Use social media healthily
It’s 2021 and for young girls these days that means navigating not only their own lives, but also an entire other world that is the internet. Social media can be great for connecting with friends and sharing pictures, but it can also have some damaging effects on young women.
Constant comparison and unrealistic beauty standards are just a portion of the potential threats to teenage girls' self-image. It’s unlikely that social media will be going anywhere anytime soon, so instead encouraging young girls to use social media in a positive way is an act of self-care that specifically focuses on mental health. This can mean setting healthy screen time limits and engaging with accounts that evoke positive emotions.
Care about eyecare
It’s common knowledge that the teenage years are a developmental time—and the same goes for the body. While top of mind changes in the body might include going through puberty or starting a menstruation cycle, remember that other parts of the body are also changing and growing during this time. A teenager’s vision is a good example. One study found that the number of kids who needed glasses between the ages 13-16 doubled over the past seven years - so keeping an eye on your eyecare is more critical than ever before.
As it’s important to manage these changes in vision during the developmental years to promote healthy long-term vision, view your eyesight needs as a form of self-care. Start the process out by adding annual opthamologist appointments to your schedule to monitor vision changes and discussing how to mitigate those changes. Many teenagers might be hesitant to change up their look if new vision issues arise, so checking out contacts is an easy alternative to glasses that also meet these new vision needs without adding the stress of changes to their everyday appearance. Different contacts can also be worn for different lengths of time depending on personal preference, so contacts can be a relatively easy addition to any prior self-care routine.
Find a creative outlet
As much as some of the changes during teenage years can seem frustrating, self-care means finding positive ways to channel this energy. It can often be hard to find the right ways to express emotion...and that’s completely okay. The pressures of growing up and moving away from childhood means procession of new feelings and hurdles.
That’s why finding a creative outlet, away from screens, can be a huge stress reliever. There are many routes to take from journaling, yoga, extra curricular activities, clubs, volunteering, and much more. If you’re struggling to find some motivation, take a quiz to help discover a hobby that best aligns with your likes and dislikes. Spending time doing something in one’s passion is a great stepping stone to helping young women create a strong sense of self-worth and individuality—the best kind of self-care!
Change can sometimes seem scary, but harnessing good self-care habits as a teenager can help you be better equipped to deal with these types of inevitable transitions. Set time aside to consider what type of positive adjustments you or a teenager in your life needs, and watch self-care become an everyday habit!