Four Things NOT to Say to Grandchildren

by Susan “Honey” Good

We can recklessly say what we choose, or we can carefully choose what we say.

Remember, we are wise because of our life experiences. Our grandchildren are much younger than us. So we must think before we speak. 

Here are a few things you may be tempted to say to your grandchildren, but they will not do anyone any good:

1. “Don’t tell your mom or dad.”
   This is teaching your grandchildren it is OK to be dishonest.
2. “Boys don’t cry.”
   Of course boys should cry. They have the same emotions as girls. It is normal to feel emotion and be able to show it.
3. “You should be ashamed of yourself.”
   This makes a young grandchild feel “I am no good or I am not worthwhile”.  Instead, “Let’s think together about another way of doing this” turns a negative situation into a positive lesson.
4. “Let me do this for you.”
   Grandmothers, make your grandchildren feel they can conquer the world. Teach them responsibility and independence.

Do Something GOOD Today: Think about these statements and whether you say them to your grandchildren.

Who is Susan "Honey" Good?

Susan "Honey" Good is a wife, mother, daughter, grandmother to 24 who call her "Honey," and is a friend to many, a writer, and owner of HoneyGood.com, a site for stylish women after fifty.  At HoneyGood.com, women read  her ‘personal' stories about blended families, widowhood, suicide, remarriage, cancer, why you should own that little black dress, tips on buying that properly fitted shoe, travel, and how to survive everything from losing your car keys in the onion bin to packing for a fabulous trip! She is also a  weekly writer for the Huffington Post, the Sun Times Network (reaching 70 cities across America), and a GRANDparent Network member. Her followers -- and friends --  on Facebook reach into the hundreds of thousands. Why come to HoneyGood.com? To live your best life possible, at any age.