Parents who unconsciously hurt their children often say these 6 phrases

People-pleasing recovery expert Clara Kernig listed six phrases that parents often say to their children without realizing the psychological harm. Among them: "You're too sensitive," "Stop crying or I'll give you something to cry about," "You're fine. It's not a problem," "Don't argue with me," "You're lucky you even have a roof over your head," and comparing them to other children. According to the expert, these phrases teach children to suppress emotions and devalue their experiences.

People-pleasing recovery expert Clara Kernig, in an Instagram post, listed six phrases that parents often say without realizing they cause psychological and emotional harm to their children. The article, based on material from Your Tango, explains that these phrases teach children to suppress feelings, devalue their own needs, and doubt their self-worth. Among them: "You're too sensitive" — devalues experiences; "Stop crying or I'll give you something to cry about" — communicates that pain doesn't matter; "You're fine. It's not a problem" — implies difficulties are unimportant; "Don't argue with me" — conveys that the child's voice doesn't matter; "You're lucky you even have a roof over your head" — a manipulative phrase making the child feel like a burden; comparing to other children — undermines self-esteem. Psychologist Jeffrey Bernstein recommends noting each child's strengths instead of comparisons.