Growth Language

The words you use after a child fails determine whether that failure becomes a lesson or a wound. Replace "You're so smart" with "You worked hard on that." Replace "It's okay, you'll get it next time" with "What would you try differently?"

Watch for rescue language in your own speech. Phrases like "Let me do that for you," "That's too hard," or "Don't worry about it" send a clear message: I do not believe you can handle this. Even when spoken with love, these words erode competence over time.