Be mindful of your vocabulary when speaking to your child: Words are birds that can never be caught back once released.
Why should we be careful with our vocabulary when addressing a child?
When reading messages on online forums for parents of middle and high school students, one can sometimes be dismayed by certain messages: alongside favorable, warm, and empathetic comments, there can be unfavorable and disparaging reactions that can be detrimental to the child.
It is common for parents to feel destabilized or overwhelmed by circumstances. Indeed, raising children is never easy, and it can even be occasionally complicated.
But parental and educational figures must never lose their way. After all, they set the example for their offspring. They also have the crucial role of helping them gain confidence and develop their own self-esteem.
However, sometimes just a few unjust and “parasitic” words are enough to destroy self-esteem.
Never demean your child
For example, on one of these discussion spaces, a parent called his daughter “stupid” because she left the key to her apartment at her parents’ house (which is two hours away from her place).
Another mother called her son “an idiot” because he didn’t wash his blouse properly (this mother seems to hold a grudge, as she has been doing her son’s laundry for eighteen years!).
Naturally, it is perfectly understandable that you might be angry with your child or disappointed by their behavior. These are completely normal and natural feelings. It is better to talk to them openly and establish a dialogue.
However, it is essential to choose your words carefully, even when you lose your temper. Never try to demean, denigrate, or belittle them, especially not in public!
Of course, children can sometimes be exasperating and even annoy the most tolerant parents. But does that mean we should insult them with unworthy remarks?
The weight of words is immense, and we often forget the impact they can have on a child’s mind, especially when used recklessly.
In interpersonal relationships, it is common for our words to exceed our thoughts. But using “inappropriate vocabulary” when addressing children can have unforeseen and harmful consequences. Words can both heal and hurt. They reflect the best and worst of ourselves.
