Negative Words ~ An exercise in healing the hurt

I've heard it said that it take 5 positive comments to make up for 1 negative one. I've also heard that it takes 7 warm "fuzzies" to counter the effect of 1 cold "prickly". I think you're better off with the most sincere apology possible. Once negative words are spoken...you cannot take them back. It's what you do with them next that makes the difference.

Do this today:

Tell your child that you need to ask them something.
Assure them they are not in trouble.

Tell them they need to be honest with you and no
matter what their response is, you will not be mad.

Ask them to think back and tell you what the meanest
thing you have ever said to them was.

Then wait. It will surface almost immediately.

Now, lovingly address it and sincerely apologize for
saying it, even if you do not remember saying it. Your
child does!

End with a big hug and pray together.

You have just righted a wrong in the most powerful and
effective way possible.

We can all remember that one negative comment that is still with us today. Maybe it came from a parent or someone else. Apologizing doesn't make it go away completely, but it replaces the negative experience with a positive one. That goes a long way in the healing of a hurt spirit.





This is a great article from Dr. Dobson on the "Power of Negative Words"