Every parent wants their children to be happy and successful.
The best way to achieve this is to teach them mental toughness as early as possible. Children with a sharp mind are more likely to have high self-confidence and be more positive, as well as learn from their failures.
There are some words or phrases that unconsciously send the wrong message to the child.
1. 'Calm down!'
It's never a good idea to tell your children how they should feel, even if you're just trying to calm them down or cheer them up. We want to send the message that they should be calm regardless of their situation, but it's more important to pay attention to what the child is experiencing.
2.'Don't worry about it.'
It's useless to tell children what to think, even if you're just trying to allay their fears.
When someone says, "Don't worry about it," our worries don't automatically go away. A better strategy is to teach children: What can they do when they are worried?
Try asking a hypothetical question: "If your friend were worried about this, what would you tell them?"
3. 'You will be the best.'
“Instead of saying, ‘You’re going to win!’ ... the best message is, ‘Go out there and do your best. And if it doesn’t go well, that’s okay.”
4. 'Don't let me see you do that again.'
This phrase is often uttered out of frustration and a desire to help children avoid bad or dangerous habits.
But "kids are sneaky" and if you only warn them about the consequences of getting caught, they will simply learn to get better at hiding bad behavior from you.
5. 'You didn't do this very well!'
Similarly, be careful not to raise a perfectionist: a child who thinks he must always be “perfect” to deserve praise or love from his parents. Perfectionism in children is linked to a range of mental health issues, from anxiety to obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
Praise their efforts, rather than the outcome.
