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Speaking of Glowing Up…
#SummerGlowUp is in full swing, and tweens and teens everywhere are preparing themselves with fake tans and papaya body spray. There are a thousand social media accounts peddling hair and skin care hacks, and for every merchant there are a dozen kids hoping to look and feel their best this summer season.
Some things to be aware of:
The #SummerGlowUp Challenge is a checklist floating around that has a generally positive message. It isn’t strictly focused on physical aspects – things like “Drink 8 glasses of water a day” and “meditate every night” are featured, along with prompts to try new hairstyles or commit to a skincare routine.
The timeframe for the Glow Up period averages to about a month, but searches for “How can I glow up in a week?” can also be found. This could open the door to conversations with your kids about realistic expectations and the power of forming good habits vs instant gratification and corner-cutting.
As with any trend that focuses on the external, there’s some potential darkness here: #SummerGlowUp might seem like a bit of harmless fun, but it would be wise to pay attention as it takes hold and evolves. Kids this age are vulnerable to pressure, self-pressure most of all. Goals to “Be cute” and “Look pretty” on the same checklist smacks of low self esteem.
While it isn’t inherently negative to focus on oneself, it’s important for young people (boys and girls alike) to have a sense of balance and not get lost in the mindless pursuit of looking good. Are you having these conversations with them?
