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There are a million moments when parents wonder if they’re doing it right. Every day can feel as if you’re learning some new, small lesson that you maybe had no clue you needed to learn in the first place. One phrase, in particular, has been found to have the biggest impact on a child’s future, though, and it might be something that most parents say without even realizing just how great it is that they’re saying it.

In a study conducted by Talker Research and Lightbridge Academy, researchers found that parents telling their kids this brief phrase can actually affect how successful they are in the future.

If you say ‘be careful’ to your kid multiple times a day, they’re going to go very far in life.

Talker Research polled 2,000 parents of kids aged 0-6 and looked at how parents handled their children’s unique interests and curiosities. Some of the findings included that on average, parents navigate 46 questions per day, though they would find themselves without an answer 35% of the time. Almost every parent (97%) however, stressed the importance of their child understanding when they tell them to “be careful.”

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More than half (55%) have that conversation immediately following the incident, while another 30% follow up within a few minutes. Yet almost two in five parents polled (38%) admit they frequently lie awake at night, worrying about how they handled things and whether their child understands their explanation.

“Today’s parents are juggling a lot,” said Gigi Schweikert, CEO of Lightbridge Academy. “It’s no secret that they worry about their child’s safety, 75% of parents say they’re concerned on any given day, yet these well-meaning instincts may unintentionally hinder the curiosity and resilience they’re hoping to instill in their children.” 

“Even before they’ve stepped into a classroom, parents can see early sparks of curiosity and creativity in their children — passions that can one day grow into future careers,” continued Schweikert. “In fact, 92% of parents say it’s important for their child to develop STEAM skills, which can be nurtured in countless ways. By encouraging exploration and hands-on learning, parents are helping raise the next generation of resilient thinkers, innovators, and scientists.”

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Curiosity is one of the best ways to nurture a child’s growing personality.

Curiosity is something that’s important to almost everyone, not just kids. In a study at the University of California conducted by psychologist Charan Ranganath, participants were connected to an MRI machine and asked 100 questions on random topics and to rate their curiosity about each topic.

When asked a question that piqued the individual’s curiosity, researchers found activity in the same area of the brain that responds to rewards or treats. Especially for kids, curiosity is the best thing that can help them in the long run.

“As parents, we can pay attention to our kids’ thinking. We can support their curiosity and, thus, their learning to learn. We can ask them guiding questions during supported play. We can encourage them to ask their own questions,” explained infant and child development expert Vanessa LoBue. “Ideally, children would be raised in an environment where question-asking is seen as a strength rather than a weakness.”

Kids’ curiosity should be nurtured and celebrated early on, as it ends up really shaping how they will approach the world as they grow up. When children are raised in an environment to explore and ask questions, that’s when they start developing confidence in their own creativity.

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Nia Tipton is a staff writer with a bachelor’s degree in creative writing and journalism who covers news and lifestyle topics that focus on psychology, relationships, and the human experience.