Who has the most influence in your life? Is it a friend, teacher or grandparent? In the psyche of many individuals, the little voice they hear is that of their mother or primary parent.
A mother has a great deal of power over her children. We heavily value our mother’s opinions, and from our first year of life we look at her face as a “social reference” of whether we should be scared of something or feel safe.
When a mother puts down or says negative things to her child she is chipping away a small piece of that child’s self-confidence. If you are a mother, when you find yourself getting upset, especially when you feel frustrated and overwhelmed, STOP. Take a deep breath and ask yourself how you want to make children feel about themselves in the long run. The way that you respond to them is even more important than what you say. You should try to make your words kind, even when reprimanding them, but more importantly you should be aware of how you respond.
Some other helpful, positive suggestions are:
- Give compliments often.
- Don’t point out their faults. For we as human beings have a natural ability to know our own weaknesses and punish ourselves more than is usually warranted.
- Don’t be mean, I hate when I see mother look at their child with angry eyes and a cold heart. To be a mother is to have great power. Use it to raise children with confidence and balance.
The power of a mother or parent to help mold her children is undeniable. Raise your children to know that no matter what happens in their life, even if they make mistakes that their mother thinks they are perfect the way they are.
