5 Things You Should Never Say to Your Child

Eyinade Eweje

The things you say to your kids go a long way in helping them form a healthy view of themselves. Saying hurtful words to your child constantly may ruin their developing self esteem, make them start resenting you and even rebel.

Find 5 things you should refrain from saying no matter the circumstances…

1. “You are a liar!”

Constantly labelling your child a liar or giving other negative tags may make him get even worse than you ever imagined with time. See how you can help him beat those bad habits and lose the labels.

2. “You should know better than that or I can’t believe you said that!”

This clearly passes the message that you think your child is quite dumb and may have adverse effect on her confidence when with you subsequently.

If your child does or say something that doesn’t show much intelligence, you must realize that learning entails lots of trial and error. Besides, you don’t know it all either, so, refrain from implying they are dumb and show them the appropriate method.

READ ALSO: 7 Things You Should Never Judge A Mum About

3. “Why Can’t You Be Like Your Brother?”

Let each child be their own person, develop at their pace and pursue their individual interests. You role is devise effective ways to motivate them to become better. Comparing him to others, even if they are his siblings, often leads to inferiority complex and sibling rivalry.

4. “I’m ashamed of you, you are just like your father!”

This is like a life sentence, especially if your child is a teenager and realizes how bad his father is and how much you resent him for it. He’ll likely feel there’s nothing good about him and you now officially think he can only be worse than his dad. Watch your tongue!

5. “Common, be a man!”

Even though most parents often mean well when they say this, your son may think having an emotional meltdown, like crying, is not a sign of weakness and may feel like a weakling. Let him cry if he wants and offer him your shoulder to cry on while saying encouraging words to help him get over the cause of his meltdown.

This list is definitely not exhaustive. Review other ways you may be hurting your child with your words and promptly retrace your steps.