Near our home there’s a forest that we enjoy exploring. At the end of a ravine there lies a fallen tree. It spans across the distance of the ravine, from one end to the other. The tree is solid, but falling would hurt, a lot. Nevertheless, the challenge is there and my kids must take it, every time. They’ve crossed the log many times, but each time they do I hold my breath in anticipation… and to stop myself from blurting out “Be Careful!” a hundred times over. Why We Need to Stop Telling Our Kids to “Be Careful” Saying “Be Careful!” to children is probably one of the least helpful things we can say to them. First of all, it’s not specific enough. “Be Careful!” could mean “watch out for the poison ivy!” or “watch out the sky is falling!”. When you tell a child “Be Careful!” it usually doesn’t get the response you’re hoping for, either they’ll give you a look of confusion (“what’s there to be afraid of?”), ignore you (“this isn’t scary!”) or start crying (“something really bad is about to happen!”).   The other problem with saying “Be Careful!” is that it instills fear. It teaches … Continue reading Stop Telling Kids to “Be Careful” and What To Say Instead