I am not a parent and I freely admit any opinions I have on the subject of parenting are derived from my singularly dysfunctional upbringing and from friends and family who are parents. So when I came across this list, my reaction to many of the suggestions was a confused "Huh? Really?"

Writer Michelle Crouch for Parenting magazine rounded up a bunch of research from educational professionals, psychologists, medical doctors and others to come up with things you should never say to your child. Judging by the reaction of several of their online readers, some of these suggestions range from controversial to idiotic.

I'll let you decide for yourself.

  1. "Great job!" - This makes your child dependent on your positive reinforcement instead of their own motivation. (Crap! I've been screwing this up with my nephew Bubbi and every other kid I know, for years!)
  2. "Practice makes perfect" - This can lead your child to think they are a complete loser when they're not perfect at something. (Yeah Mom, that's why I'm not a concert pianist!)
  3. "Hurry up!" - You're placing undo stress on your already stressed out kids. (This apparently didn't concern my beloved mom. Her statements were more in the military style - "Come on, roll out, roll out! Get a move on, move it, move it!!!!!")
  4. "We can't afford that." - Knowing that you're not in control of your finances can scare your kids. (Try something alternative like my parents did - a hearty laugh, followed by a loud "not in this lifetime!")
  5. "Be careful" - That's right verbalizing this little innocuous phrase can lead to your kid's death and destruction. (Or something like that, my eyes were tired from all the rolling they were doing while reading the article.)

Well that's about all I can stand. I guess it is a good thing I never actually had any kids or they'd be as screwed up as me! If you'd like to take a look at the complete list of things you shouldn't have said to your kids, this week, or ever, check out the complete Parenting article here.

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