Words have a profound and lasting power, especially the words a parent says to a child. In the heat of a frustrating moment, a tired or angry parent might let a phrase slip out that seems harmless at the time. They may not even remember saying it an hour later. But for a child, those words can land with the force of a physical blow. They can embed themselves in their psyche, shaping their self-esteem, their view of the world, and their inner voice for years to come. These toxic parenting phrases are often passed down through generations, unexamined and repeated. Breaking the cycle requires a conscious and deliberate choice to understand the hidden damage in our everyday language.
Here are seven of those common, damaging phrases that can stick with a child forever.
