Hi There Fellow Mamas!
Do you catch yourself saying “Be Careful” ALL. THE. FREAKING. TIME to you kids?? Does it give you the heebie geebies every time you say it? Me too! Saying “Be Careful” to your children has ZERO effect on them. I have been practicing some other options of what to say to your child instead of “Be Careful” and to be honest with you, they work a whole hell of a lot better. It’s time to put those tips here for you all to use too. I promise you will be glad you made some changes!
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Some things to think about when making these changes is the reasoning things need to change. What are you trying to teach your child? What do they need to do instead of that they are doing? and How do you use words to do those things?
The two main focuses I need you to be aware of is teaching your child AWARENESS and teaching them how to PROBLEM SOLVE on their own. As a parent, it can be easier just to make those choices and decisions for them, however that is taking away their opportunity to learn and grow. It is our job as parents is to foster that growth and to ask questions to get them thinking on their own.
Here is a list of 15 Easy Phrases Other Than “Be Careful”
- “Take your time…”
- “Do you feel safe doing that?”
- “Please move slowly…”
- “What is your next move?”
- “Stay focused on what you are doing.”
- “I am here, if you need assistance.”
- “Be aware of what’s around you.”
- “Do you hear…”
- “Can you see…”
- “Notice how…”
- “What can you use…”
- “How will you…”
- “Please walk.”
- “Please look for…”
- “Trust yourself.”
Supporting and Teaching kids is so Important!
I’m sure by now, you are coming up with some things that would fit your parenting style here as well. There are endless opportunities to create AWARENESS and PROBLEM SOLVING skills in your children. It takes effort and time to learn this strategy as a parent, but trust me it is worth it. You will notice your child will have more confidence moving throughout their day and they will make better choices, simply by you asking/ guiding them in the right direction.
I also am fully aware this doesn’t work all the time, believe me, I have a super stubborn kid and sometimes it doesn’t matter what you say. But, stay consistent, stay calm and keep on being that badass mama that I know you are and together we will raise an amazing next generation together! Please let me know in the comments if you have tried any of these and they have worked, or if there are others that you like to use too!!
Cheers to another parent win. Wishing you success and lots of patience!
Love,
Trista
P.S- Check out some of my other parenting wins here (If you haven’t already) Thanks for the continued love and support!!
- The Keys to ENJOYING Motherhood.
- How to Transition from Co-sleeping.
- The Best Children’s Books.
- 20 Simple Changes to Make in 2023.
Kristy
I Love this!!! We, as parents, have the opportunity to shape our children’s views about themselves as victims or creators. When they learn that they create their own reality and are powerful problem-solvers that can do “hard” things, they can navigate the difficult turns in this life with greater confidence and grace. Thank you for offering such empowering possibilities to replace the phrase “Be careful”. ❤️
Trista
Thank you Kristy for the additional input! I feel like we as parents can help guide our young ones so they learn that everything they do is their choice and isn’t just happening to them. How cool…