“Avoid labels. Labelling children as smart, naughty, clever, sensitive, lazy, messy, grumpy, etc. can make them start to believe those statements are true. Even if the words you use are positive — i.e. ‘clever’ — they can actually hinder growth, as the child feels their character is fixed. As a parent, you might consider saying, ‘I can see that you worked really hard at this picture,’ rather than, ‘You’re a natural artist.”