Our words can build up our kids or tear them down.
Children long for connection and a place to fit in. They need a place to feel secure. How we say things matter too.
The secret lies on three things: Tone. Volume. Intent. (of our voice).
Everyday, we become the model to our children on how words are important. They can hear it in our joyous “Good morning!” or in a frustrated “Didn’t I tell you…”
And believe me, this is not an easy stuff.
Dear parents,
Please be gentle on yourselves too. Give yourself grace when you make mistake (after all, we’re human). Apologize to your child when the words or the tone you choose are out of frustration. Don’t be afraid to be generous with positive words and encouragements.
We want our children to be resilient. We want them to tackle problems and try new things. We want them to be confident. We want them to feel loved.
Instead of “You are so lazy. Get up and help me!”, try this:
“You work so hard. Can you give me a hand? It will get done so much faster.”
I can (almost) guarantee that it will work 100% better than going the negative route. Instead of tearing them down, you are building them up and achieving the same end result: they are helping you.
So, let’s be mindful on how we speak to our children. They are watching us and listening to us. Through that, they develope their sense of self and being all the while. Let’s help them cultivate a strong inner voice.
#CikguShah
