I always thought I was helping my child by correcting them. Correcting grammar. Correcting sentence structure. Correcting pronunciation. I believed accuracy came before confidence.

I was wrong.

What I didn’t realise then was that constant correction teaches children one thing very clearly—don’t speak unless you’re sure you’re perfect.

When good intentions backfire

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Like most parents, I wanted my child to speak well. But in my effort to guide, I was interrupting. Finishing sentences. Rephrasing thoughts. Slowly, unintentionally, I was doing the opposite of what I wanted.

My child began speaking less.

That’s when I started reflecting—not on my child’s confidence, but on my parenting style.

Creating a safe space to speak

One of the most powerful lessons I learned through PlanetSpark was the importance of safe communication. Children need environments where they can speak freely—without fear of being judged or corrected immediately.

Confidence doesn’t grow in pressure. It grows in permission.

Small changes, big impact

I began doing simple things:

• Letting my child finish thoughts, even if it took time

• Asking open-ended questions instead of yes/no ones

• Listening without interrupting

The change was slow but meaningful. Conversations became more expressive. My child started sharing opinions—not just answers.

What parents often forget

Children don’t need perfect English.
They need courage.
They need to feel heard.

A new parenting mindset

Instead of asking, “Did you say it correctly?”
I now ask, “Did you say what you wanted to say?”

That shift changed everything.