Simple commonly-said phrases that parents utter to kids, such as 'you naughty girl', could do them more harm than good in the future, revealed a new study. The researchers suggested that these sayings may be bad for the children's self-esteem as it teaches them to label themselves.

Gregg Chapman, psychologist and clinical manager at Strategic Philosophy, said, "Instead of 'You naughty boy/girl!', parents should address the underlying situation or problem. Parents should not use 'How many times have I told you?', instead they should engage with their children and ask them how they can get their child to effectively understand the message they are trying to convey. The child is not behaving with a sense of obligation to the parent and so 'How could you do this to me? After all I do for you!' is not helpful. Instead, parents should help their child to understand the effect of their actions."

Chapman further added, "Making statements like 'You wait until you're home' can lead to the child feeling scared and insecure within the relationship, while using statements like 'Don't be stupid' to describe a child's behavior may lead to them labeling themselves later on in life."