How we speak to our children has everything to do with their sense of worth as they become teenagers, and then adults. Children absorb the words of their trusted parents like a sponge, implanting the positive as well as the negative in the archives of their minds. In order to instill positivity in a child, a parent must make a conscious effort to always think before speaking. For instance, before telling your child “If you weren’t so lazy, you would have gotten a better grade”, try telling the child “It looks like there are some things you don’t understand. Perhaps I can help”. Words heard from a parent, a child’s most trusted individual in their young life will make or break his or her self confidence. If a mom or dad tells little Bobby that he will never be as smart as older sister, Susie, it is quite probable that Bobby will still remember and believe those words for years to come. Continuous criticism has only one outcome, a child with low self-esteem.