10 Hurtful Things Parents Say To Their Kids

Words have power—especially when they come from parents. Some phrases may seem harmless, but they can leave lasting emotional scars and impact a child’s self-esteem, confidence, and mental health.

When we first started Psych2Go, we realized just how much toxic parenting phrases affected people, and this video became one of our most impactful. Now, we want to bring this conversation back into the mainstream, so more people can recognize and heal from these experiences.

In this video, we’ll go over 10 toxic things parents say and how these words can shape a child’s mindset, even into adulthood. Recognizing these patterns is the first step toward healing and breaking the cycle.

🔹 In this video, we cover:

Toxic parenting phrases that leave emotional scars
Hurtful things parents say without realizing the damage
Signs of toxic parents and their impact on mental health
Negative effects of parental criticism on self-esteem
Parenting mistakes to avoid to break the cycle
Emotional abuse by parents and how to heal

👉 Have you ever heard any of these phrases growing up? Let’s talk in the comments!

🎥 Special thanks to our partners for making this project happen!

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The team behind this project:

Story Architect – Psych2Go (Script)
Narrative Director – Kelly Soong (Script Manager)
Voice of Insight – Amanda Silvera (Voice Over)
Visual Storytellers – Turutangi Studio (Animation)
Animation Supervisor– Cindy Cheong (YouTube Manager)

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For the sources, reach out to us at tu@Psychgonet
Suggested video to watch: https://youtu.be/NL3xgn81Y2M?si=6Amq-rHJSIu7BzND