Criticism

Criticism ignites shame, and shame is corrosive. It erodes trust. It undermines confidence. It devours energy. It steals happiness. It internalizes pain. Shaming children may or may not be effective in correcting behavior in the short-term, but it has potentially devastating lifelong consequences. Guard your children’s hearts fiercely, my friends. Handle them tenderly. Guide them gently. Accept them freely. Love them unconditionally. The adults they become will thank you for it, and this world will be a far better place with more heart-whole humans instead of more refugees from childhood.