10 Toxic Things Parents Say To Their Children

Children should always expect love and care from their parents. But what if the parents are toxic? It is a digital media organization that raises mental health awareness by presenting psychological topics in a digestible and relatable way. 

How would you feel if I told you that in 2008, the Administration for Children and Families in the US Department of Health and Human Services reported that more than 50,000 children were officially counted as victims of emotional abuse? Whether or not hurtful words are intended to cause pain...

They can leave marks and memories that last from a short time to a lifetime. Hurtful remarks can come from loved ones, such as parents, and the psychological and emotional damage can be harmful to many people, especially their children.

 

The way parents raise and interact with their children lays the foundation for their personality and self-esteem. So,

How do you know if a parent or caretaker is toxic?

Here are eight things toxic parents say that can affect a child's life. Please share this content with those who need it.

10 Things Toxic Parents Say To Their Children

1. Offensive words towards their appearance. 

Calling a child down based on their appearance will likely only increase their physical insecurity and worry about their body image.

For example, saying, "You're ugly, too fat, too short, or too skinny, or you have ugly hair."

This could lead to serious emotional issues, such as eating disorders. Parents are supposed to teach their children to love themselves, no matter how they look on the outside.

2. Provocative questions about actions. 

Children tend to believe anything their parents say, so sarcastic questions or remarks like these may make a child feel as if there's something wrong with them. 

"Why do you act so weird?" "Why do you walk that way?" "Chew that way?" "Move or talk that way?"

This makes it very hard for the child to be themselves around others, even in adulthood. They may then be trapped by the discomfort and fear that others may laugh at them or notice the flaws their toxic parents made up about them. (Poor Chintu...)

3. Selfish wishes. 

"I wish you had never been born." "I wish I had an abortion." "I regret having you." "I wish you were a different child." Parents should never say something like this to a child. 

It'll make them feel as if they weren't supposed to exist in this world in the first place and that they don't deserve to be alive. These remarks are so harmful to a child, to a human in general. They diminish their sense of identity, which can lead to self-harm and early depression. Instead, parents should make them feel loved and valued.

4. Making the child feel like a burden/hurdle. 

"You cost me too much money." "It's so hard to take care of you." "Having you exhausts me." If a parent says this to their child, the child will feel like a burden. It'll cause them to unconsciously hide their needs, feelings, and problems... to avoid the parent's wrath.

Considering that, Nemours, a non-profit children's health care system, reported that a lack of love and affection, or materialistic things, are some of the causes for some children to turn to stealing and being abusive.

5. Unhealthy comparisons. 

"Why aren't you like your sibling, cousin, or the other kids?" "The other kids are better than you."

This will substantially reduce a child's self-esteem and make them think they'll never be good enough, no matter how hard they try. Additionally, comparing siblings with one another can foster an unhealthy relationship between them. This will cause them to feel jealousy and resentment toward each other. Siblings should be given the right to build their own independent identities.

6. Verbally abusive words are statements. 

"You're stupid." "Useless." "You're a loser." "You'll never make it."

Such absolute remarks will damage a child's self-esteem. Parents must encourage their children to believe in themselves.

7. Threatening abandonment.

"I'll leave you." "I'll put you aside." "You'll wake up and never find me." "I'll just disappear." These words can cause a child to develop abandonment issues, fearing that the people they love will leave them because of who they are. As the child grows up, this belief will be unconsciously ingrained. They'll be unable to trust future relationships for fear of being left. And.

8. Empty promises.

"If you do this, I'll buy you that," or "I'll take you there next time," but they don't follow through. (That happens to almost everyone.) When a parent makes promises they don't keep, it breaks a child's trust and leaves the child feeling betrayed. Empty promises are an effective way to teach a child not to trust others. To conclude, even though words aren't physically harmful, they can be extremely harmful to a child's psyche and emotional well-being. Childhood is an essential chapter in every person's life.

Our childhood shapes our personalities, behaviors, and beliefs. Have you experienced any of these forms of abuse? 

How do you feel about them?  

Do you know someone who has and could benefit from reading this blog post?

Please consider sharing this post to reach a wider audience so parents and future parents can be more mindful about how they talk to their children. If you care about our mission, please don't forget to visit Safarfacts.com for more of our psychology content. And as always, thanks for reading!