What to Say Instead Of “Be Careful”

“Be careful!” It comes out so naturally as a parent, doesn’t it? When we see things that could hurt our kids, our natural instinct is to protect them.

But “be careful” can actually be unhelpful in a number of ways. It’s not super specific, it doesn’t provide any useful information, it can instill fear, or become so overused when there isn’t actually any real danger present that it becomes meaningless to our children.

Instead of “be careful” you can try any of these other strategies:
-Ask a Question
-Offer Reassurance
-Give Information
-Offer Guidance
-Say Nothing

Breaking a language habit is hard, so when I inevitably slip and catch myself saying “be careful”, I try to correct myself out loud and use an alternative phrase instead in the moment. Give yourself time and forgiveness as you shift your habits.

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