RD reflection: Words to inspire

Words can be inspiring or damaging, depending on how we use them. For children, they may not comprehend the meaning of words in the same way as adults, so adults should change their choice of words to better communicate with their children. Communicating effectively with children can be difficult because of the different mindset between an adult and a child. If we want children to grow up into the best possible versions of themselves, it is crucial to replace damaging words with alternatives that help build character.

Instead of saying "You are the best!", we can say "You should be proud of how hard you've worked". This will help to boost a child's self esteem more as you praise the child for his own hard work, while using "You are the best!" will make them think that you only like them when they achieve or accomplish something, and not anymore on other occasions. Replacing "Don't worry - it'll be OK." with "I totally understand what you must have gone through. Tell me about it" is also a better way to console a child. They may think that you are a drama queen by just telling them that it will be alright, while hearing their problems make them feel better as they feel that they have shared their problems with someone.

Above are some methods that parents should try while communicating with their children as children and adults do not comprehend words in the same way. Using more inspiring words than damaging words will help your child more, and parents should also try to think in their children's shoe when conversing with a child so that it is easier to communicate with each other.

Shi Jie (38) z.