The Fab Mom On 2: If Your Teen Wants A Sexy Halloween Costume, Do You Say Yes?

Not so fast, parents. The suggestion to say yes should your teen want a sexy Halloween costume is just a reverse-psychological tactic to tackling something important. No, we should not blindly say yes but rather use the opportunity to dig deep and open a serious discussion about body confidence, what being sexy really means and how guide our teens' developing social habits and identities in a healthy and informed way.

And, yes, we can absolutely open these discussions with girls and boys.

For starters, ask questions:

OK, you want to wear that, you're almost an adult now, but:

WHY do you want to wear it?

WHAT do you want others to think or say?

HOW will it make you feel?

Your teen might just be shocked at your interest that the sexy costume option might disappear altogether and presents a perfect time to redirect the conversation to body confidence.

Dove beauty brand is leading a self-esteem campaign happening now to help us deepen our conversations about appearance and confidence with our teen girls. In addition to offering compliments saying "You look so nice today!" also include daily observations that don't involve referencing appearances. "I love how nice you are with your friends. You're always looking people in the eyes and smiling, such a great quality."

Go beyond the appearance to establish body confidence and self-respect from the inside out. More information at SelfEsteem.Dove.us.

Jill Simonian is a Parenting Lifestyle Contributor, appearing on CBS Los Angeles every Wednesday on News at 5pm and Friday mornings at 6:45am. Her personal blog is TheFabMom.com. Follow Jill on Twitter @jillsimonian and connect with her on Facebook.