How to Help Children Take Adult Comments Correctly

Every child has to deal with adult judgment and comments, and it is important that they learn to respond to them correctly. I was once told that it is impossible to become a good pianist with short fingers. This statement made me doubt myself and undermined my self-confidence for a long time. Even if adults do not mean anything bad, their words can have a strong influence on a child’s perception of themselves and their abilities.

Such examples can be found everywhere. Children can be easily influenced not only by their parents, but also by strangers. A father’s friend may tell a boy that dancing is not an activity for real men, and this comment can cause the child to give up his hobby. Adults do not always understand the impact their words can have. Sometimes even meaningless comments can undermine a child’s confidence and change his attitude towards what he loved or wanted to do.

But why does this happen? Children perceive the world through the prism of authorities - adults whom they see as knowledgeable and wise. They often trust the opinions of their elders because they seem more experienced. Thus, the child may accept other people's comments as the truth, even if they have no basis. It is important for the child that the adults around him support and develop his confidence, and not destroy it.

How can you help a child learn to respond correctly to adults' comments? It is important to start with creating inner confidence in the child and his abilities. If he has "points of support" - hobbies, successes that he is confident in - other people's words will not be able to hurt him too much. Parents should make the child understand that his opinion is as important as the opinion of adults, and that not all the words of elders should be perceived as the absolute truth.

In addition, it is important to teach children constructive communication with others. You should not immediately object or argue with every comment. You need to help the child learn to explain his point of view, express his feelings, and not just succumb to someone else's influence. Playful methods can help with this: for example, you can offer the child different scenarios and ask him to think about how he could respond in a given situation.

Psychologists say that children are not always able to quickly cope with the emotions that arise after a remark. Considering that they do not always have the same experience as adults, sometimes it is difficult for them to immediately understand that what is said does not always have an objective basis. It is important for parents to help the child learn to process such information correctly, and not to give in to the first emotions.

The child should understand that adults' comments are not always an assessment of his personality. It is important to teach him to distinguish between criticism of behavior and criticism of himself. Help the child develop emotional stability so that he does not take comments as personal insults, but perceives them as an opportunity for growth and improvement.

Thus, developing the ability to respond to comments is a process that requires patience and attention. Parents should set an example of respect for the opinions of others, while supporting their child's confidence that he is able to make independent decisions and express his own point of view.