"What makes you think your so special?"

Were the words I heard spoken today from a mother to her child at the supermarket.

I assume he asked his mother for something.. An ice cream perhaps?

We often send these kinds of messages to our family members, friends, acquaintances and strangers but usually in more subtle ways.

Like in customer service, not being friendly, or going above our call of duty. Or in other ways like treating one another less than human. Or by judging one another. Or speaking about them nastily behind their back. However we do it, it's usually rather subtle.

But today at the shops, I heard the blatant words against a small child, around the age 5, that he's no one special, and he will grow up believing that.. About himself.. And about others..

I think we need to be a bit more careful about how we treat others and speak to them.. Especially our young influential children..

If you one/some.. Tell them they are special and valued..