Clubs/Activities to boost Self Confidence in Teen Girls

[Oyem11111111]

Hello,
What Clubs or activities can boost my DD Self confidence as I observe she Seriously need a boost pls.
Thanks

have you tried drama?
or scouts?

what are her interests?

Cadets are usually good

Guides / rangers

Www.girlguiding.org.uk

Scouts / Explorers

What does she like doing?

As others have mentioned cadets/ scouts / guides are all great as they cover a range of activities and as you progress you can take on a leadership role.

My DD plays girls rugby and that is great too particularly for body confidence as there is a role for every body shape and the strong and stocky are just as valued in the scrum as the gazelle like are for running and scoring trys

Other options are working with animals particularly if she has very low self esteem.

I would also be looking at the root cause. Why does she have low confidence? Is it anything to do with how I brought her up and how I talk to her? Is it because she has some unmet additional needs at school and finds things difficult and feels like a failure and needs something to excel at outside of school. Is it too much social media and comparing herself to unattainable heights? Is she being bullied?

Martial arts of some kind. Karate or kickboxing are good both for fitness and confidence. You don't need a friend to go with because the class will be training as a group.

Scouts or Explorers (depending on age) are good for becoming part of a group and doing lots of different activities.

A drama group us good if she enjoys singing, dancing, acting etc.

What is she already good at / interested in? Climbing lessons have been great for my DD building confidence and making friends but she expressed an interest, we didn't push her into it. Expecting her to go to something I had booked without her agreement wouldn't have worked.

Drama can be good, but at this age will she be too nervous about performing in front of others to get the benefit? Something without the pressure to be good at a skill would be good. Guides can have a long waiting list but worth encouraging her into. Does her school do any extra curricular stuff she could try for free before you sign up to a similar paid for activity outside school? Cadets or DofE might also work but it has to come from her.

Or you could find new skills for her to try at home for free so she might be more likely to join and enjoy a class / club with less pressure to be good (eg languages on Duolingo, youtube videos for yoga or creative skills like drawing etc).

Rugby has been great for my DD too. As @Singleandproud says, there’s generally greater body diversity in rugby than many other sports plus dd has made great friends. Also because a lot of girls come to it quite late and it’s not a very technical sport, , you don’t have the issues of trying to integrate into an existing and experienced squad as a beginner. Can easily start from scratch at U14/U16.

My caveat is that it does take a certain type of mentality and a degree of physical toughness but it’s not always the ones you’d expect that of who demonstrate it, so worth a try.

I would also not recommend saying to DD something like "do this activity, it will be great for your confidence" - I heard my DM say that to people about me and drama club like it was some magic fix, but it didn't work. I needed self confidence, to know that I was someone interesting who deserved to be happy, whose opinions mattered etc and all that is only stuff I really learned (tho I still struggle) as an adult when I felt able to do what made me happy nor what others expected of me. Basically, put opportunities her way to try new stuff and meet new people but you shouldn't force her to go as that may make the problem worse when she struggles to live up to what she thinks someone else has said she should be getting from it. Try to work on why she has low confidence and offer new activities as a fun extra rather than a solution to problems. Then you may just have to wait it out until she feels better on her own terms, knowing she has your support.

I would say the same as chunkzbyanothername don’t put too much emphasis on the activity trying to “fix” her. And be careful trying too many things that she ends up dropping out of and feeling like she has failed and her confidence drops further.

things like park run or volunteering at park run together in a low pressure we are just trying to give back to our community not actually expecting anything from this may be a good way to go too?