by greeneggsandham

Created on: May 25, 2008   Last Updated: July 21, 2008

Calling kids names may be perfectly okay or absolutely unacceptable. Calling them something like 'honey', 'sweetie ' or even 'snuggle bunny' are okay and have a positive effect on children (as well as add some very weird words to their vocabulary) but using names that are hurtful or rude is never okay, even when angry. This applies to everyone, especially parents, who should realize that it has a very negative affect on their children. Anger management is a very important thing, when in front of children, because when they do something wrong, we should learn not to shout, but correct them in a way that will help to mould them into better people, by making sure to speak in a sharp, but kind tone. Children are very sensitive beings, who are unsure of what is right or wrong and if called something negative, even if it is something as trivial as 'idiot' or 'stupid' they begin to assume the characteristics of that name and lose their self confidence.

Children, as you very well know, are extremely tender and have a very open mind, and everything going on around them has an effect on their personality as well as their sense of right and wrong.Even using bad names in front of them will effect them and children exposed to such atrocity are the main victims, or even the causes, of terror, depression and loneliness. The book 'Goodnight Mr. Tom', a truly brilliant and captivating piece of literature, by Michelle Magorian, is a very good example of what would happen if children are not handeled with carefully.

You may be thinking, 'Why make such a big deal out of this small issue', but maybe this is because you haven't been part of this, or you have never watched this happen in front of your very eyes. On the school playground, in kindergarten, I helplessly used to watch as students were bullied by their fellow classmates, by being called rude names. Kindergarten is a very tender stage in life, and is the place where our self confidence grows and these mental wounds are very hard to heal. Most parents want the best for their children, and are absolutely right to correct their children, but we must understand that if we correct them, we must show them our love beneath our words and make them understand why they should behave without the use of negative language.
Remember, treat the people around you with respect, and they will respect you. So stop using negative language when around children and you will find a real change in them, because even children, as innocent as they may be, can turn out to deteriorate because of the lack of respect.

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