A note of caution: make sure to choose words that label the behavior and not your child. For example, if your child lies to you say, “That was a lie,” or, “What you just said isn’t true.” Don’t say, “You are a liar.” If your child is bullying their younger sibling say, “That’s bullying,” or, “That was unkind.” Don’t say, “You’re a bully.” Our words have power, especially the words we speak over our children. Their behavior determines what they do; it doesn’t have to define who they are.
