An emphasis on female beauty bias is all around us. While several magazines and products are attempting to contribute to a broader, more diverse definition of "beauty", many tween and teen products and media continue to perpetuate an overemphasis on a physical appearance, and with that, an appearance that does not fit into most girls' experiences.

Talk About Beauty
Ask your daughter what she thinks makes someone beautiful. Asks her what she likes about her best friends and what makes someone a good friend. Chances are that the expectations she has of her own beauty are not the same that she has of her friends.

Let her know how magazines use airbrushing techniques to make girls and women look "perfect", beyond what we could ever expect in "real life."

Help her to understand that beauty in the media is a business that requires several stylists and special lighting to make someone "look" a certain way.

Talk about why ads use attractive women to sell cars, perfume, or even coffee.

Balance the Compliments
Put your daughter's appearance in healthy perspective. From infancy on, when someone exclaims, "Your daughter is so pretty!" , it's fine to acknowledge the compliment but you might also add an accomplishment or character trait that is unrelated to appearance ("Thanks, and she is an incredibly hard-working student") , so that she can understand that you feel pride about who she is, more so than what she looks like.

Even in complimenting your daughter's work, focusing too much on the external appearance (ex: neat handwriting; "pretty" picture) rather than the product (ex: a creative story; variety of colors used) can echo the sentiment that appearance is to be valued more than substance.

Teach Her How to Celebrate Her Beauty
When your daughter complains about her physical appearance, don't rush to tell her she's wrong; instead, help her to understand that her body's curves are normal and that beauty comes in all different shapes and sizes. Make connections between physical activities she may enjoy and the strength and power of her body. If she can begin to see her body as a vessel through which she will be able to engage in and enjoy many of life's wonderful experiences, she will be able to build a healthy attitude towards her body.