Mummy blogger causes stir online with controversial thoughts on praising kids for talents they don’t have
"They're 12 years old and this is what they're doing in arts class. Don't tell them they're artistic. It was rubbish. He's not going to be an artist."
WOULD you tell your kids that they aren't very good at something - or is this tough love gone too far?
A mother-of-three has claimed children should not be praised children should not be praised for skills they don't have in a hilarious rant posted online, but it is getting mixed reactions.
London-based blogger, Tova Leigh, said on her she was tired of telling her kids they are good at something when they really aren't.
She said: "I am so done with telling my kids they are amazing at stuff they are actually c*** at."
The video, titled Being Honest With Our Kids, was posted to her blog and has since been viewed more than 94,000 times.
She said in the video: "I am so done with telling my kids that they are great and super talented at doing stuff they are not very good at.
"Like tidying up their room. I don't know one kid on the face of this planet that is actually good at tidying their room.
"Yet we say, 'Oh wow, you did such a good job', when all they did is pick up a piece of lego and put it in the laundry basket or shove their socks under the bed.
"That's not good tidying up, let's not lie about it."
She then took aim and mums and dads who tell their children they are artistic when they clearly aren't.
Holding up a piece of orange paper with stickers on it she said: "Telling your kid they have an extraordinary talent at arts or something. And then you show me this.
"They're 12 years old and this is what they're doing in arts class. Don't tell them they're artistic. It was rubbish. He's not going to be an artist."
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She then went on to burst parents bubbles about their child being a genius, reminding them that geniuses represent one per cent of the population.
"Geniuses are only one per cent of the population, which means it's likely my kids are not geniuses, your kids are not geniuses, the neighbours' kids are not geniuses," she continued.
"In fact, none of the people you know have children who are geniuses."
Mrs Leigh finished the video by sounding a warning about the dangers of falsely raising a child's expectations.
"So next time you are thinking about telling your children they are awesome and talented and amazing at stuff that they're actually quite average at…choose your words," she said.
But the video has had some mixed reactions from parents.
While many thought the rant was hilarious and agreed with what Tova said, others were quick to tell her they don't.
One viewer wrote: "Nope, I tell my daughter she's a genius and good at everything. Because she is. Idc if she scribbled on a paper at two, I acted excited and now she can draw because she never felt like giving up."
And another said: "So what you want your kid growing up believing he isn't special or amazing at anything?! That's a rough life."
But the criticisms were balanced with compliments, with one viewer quick to defend her saying: "I think that a lot of the angry mob here is missing the point.
"She isn't saying that you need to completely berate your child, she is saying that you should tell them when they aren't doing things correctly instead of praising them for making a mistake."