Labelling Children

@baysmummy (1637)
Australia
January 21, 2007 6:15am CST
"Good girl". "Lazy boy". "Rude girl". "Shy boy". These are labels. Many of us label our children in terms of their behaviour or even their attributes. "Chubby little girl". "Loud little boy". Does labelling our child have an effect on the way they see themselves? Does it affect their self esteem and their ability to grow and thrive in their environment? When we label a child, are we simply describing them the way we see them, or are we actually influencing them to behave in a certain way which meets our label?
1 person likes this
2 responses
@ephi4real (564)
• Nigeria
21 Jan 07
Labelling a child goes just beyond the surface. I believe it can affect the child's self esteem and the way they grow up. I your parents kept telling you that you are a very brilliant kid, and that you will one day be a professor of medicine, believe me, you will see yourself in those eyes. And unconsciously, you will work towards it. This is why it is bad to label or call a child bad names.
@baysmummy (1637)
• Australia
21 Jan 07
Thank you very much for an excellent reply.
1 person likes this
@msqtech (15074)
• United States
29 Jan 07
just give them positive goals labels arent necessary
@msqtech (15074)
• United States
29 Jan 07
never lable negative always positive