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Whether your child’s GCSE results are high, low, or somewhere in between, one thing is inevitable – they’ll compare them with their friends’ grades. This comparison culture, which is far more pervasive because of social media, can leave teens feeling inadequate because their results are worse than their mates, or make their friends feel useless if roles are reversed. But although there’s no getting away from teenagers comparing their results both on and offline, what can parents do to try and limit the damage this it can cause? Former teacher Dr Julia Clements, principal educational psychologist at the children’s mental health charity Place2Be, says the comparison of results will undoubtedly impact some teenagers’ wellbeing. “Your teenager is bound to compare their results with their peers at the same school, but also through social media,” she acknowledges. “Although this comparison is inevitable, it may be harmful for your child’s wellbeing – especially if they’ve not done as well as expected. “Indeed, the term ‘compare and despair’ can be especially pertinent on days like today.” Sharon Davies, CEO of Young Enterprise, a charity which helps young people navigate the changing world of work, adds: “The pressure to measure up to their friends’ achievements can be overwhelming, leading to feelings of inadequacy or disappointment.” So how can parents help their teens? 1. Ask how they feel If your child is down on themselves and rating themselves negatively in comparison to their friends, they may reject any positives and praise parents provide, Clements warns. “It may be more useful, in the first instance, to ask them how they’re feeling, and to acknowledge and validate difficult feelings,” she advises. Such feelings may include disappointment, sadness, anger, shame, or feeling as if they’ve let themselves – and you – down. “If your child is feeling like this, it’s important to give them the message that you love them unconditionally and you’re proud and pleased to be their parent because of who they are – not because of the grades they achieve,” she stresses. 2. If they’ve done better than their friends… If your child has achieved good results, which may be better than some of their friends, then they’ll want to celebrate. But while celebrating is of course a great idea, Clements suggests: “You may want to talk with them about how to be sensitive and compassionate towards their friends who haven’t done so well.” 3. Help them turn a negative into a positive Consultant clinical psychologist Dr Nihara Krause specialises in teenage mental health and is working with the Talking Futures campaign to help parents engage their children in meaningful conversations about their futures. She says if a young person doesn’t get the grades they were hoping for, they may be highly critical of their performance in comparison to their peers. But she suggests parents show them how to turn their negative thinking around. “Parents should encourage their children to focus on recognising the approach they took to exams this time round and take steps to reflect on what they could do to achieve a better result in the future. Focus on what helps a young person gain their own personal best, no matter how their results compare with others.” 4. Don’t ask about their friend’s results or post about them Krause says parents should try to celebrate their child’s achievements for what they are and avoid asking about their friends’ results. “To avoid comparison, parents should also avoid sharing their child’s results on social media,” she says. 5. Don’t be too hard on yourself Clements points out that comparison culture may not just affect teenagers – if their results aren’t as good as expected, mums and dads might start comparing their own parenting during the revision and exam period with other parents whose kids have got better results. “As a parent or carer, you may also be drawn into unhelpful comparisons with others,” says Clements, “and you may question the amount of support you were able to provide your child in the run up to their exams. However, today is not a day for self-criticism or judgements – some self-compassion is important at this time.” 6. Reach out for support This might be the first results day many parents have gone through with their child, and while comparisons with other teens may well have been unhelpful, Davies points out that schools will have career advisers and teachers available who can offer support and advice. There are also online forums and blogs where those in similar situations share their experiences. She says: “No-one is expecting you to have all the answers – that’s why there’s support available.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Women more severely affected by ME, study claims 4 hacks to get teens off the sofa and get active – as study warns of heart damage Taking adult education classes may lower risk of dementia, study suggests

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A new "toxic" trend is taking over TikTok that involves people comparing their body measurements to Bella Hadid – and some users are concerned. While social media can sometimes be a force for good, other corners of the internet have received several side eyes for their damaging messages. A quick TikTok search into 'Bella Hadid measurements' will reveal hundreds of videos of people sharing their measurements. As we know, Hadid is a supermodel and the comparisons haven't sat easily with many users, as it perpetuates unrealistic beauty standards. "When Bella Hadid’s measurements are 34-24-32 and mine are 31-22-33," one person wrote in a viral clip that's racked up almost half a million likes. The TikToker went on to call the measurements a "big flex in my life." Another person wrote: "POV I have the same measurements as Bella Hadid, nothing can hurt my feelings, I don't care". Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter While the clips are seemingly intended to be lighthearted, many more TikTokers have hit back at its "toxic" roots – especially given TikTok is predominantly a Gen-Z app. Creator Felix (@fmjat) raised the concern, asking viewers: "Aren’t these Bella Hadid measurements low-key a step back backward and hypocritical?" @fmjat bare in mind these are the same gurlies saying all bodys r beautiful ?? #bellahadid #bodypositivity #models #modelcommunity #bodyimage His clip was met with people who agreed on the matter, with one writing: "Like.. the trend is so bad for impressionable teens/ppl on this app with eating disorders." Another user simply put it: "The fixation on bodies is tiring." Meanwhile, a third person chimed in: "Can we all say the things we like ab our bodies and accept the fact that we’re all gonna see things we don’t relate to without freaking out." Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.