Lauren's List: What Not To Say To Your Kids

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MIAMI (CBSMiami) — Grab your pen and paper to jot down this week's "Lauren's List."

This one is for the moms and dads out there - and the grandparents too!

As a relatively new mom, my little guy is just 19 months old, I'm constantly reading and researching parenting tips and tricks, and I recently came across some information that really surprised me.

The experts at Parents Magazine put out a list of the top phrases you should never say to your kids, and I'll admit, I've said most of them. Oops!

I've narrowed the list down to my four "favorites".

First on Lauren's List, "Great Job!"

I say this pretty much whenever my son does something I approve of.

But turns out, the experts say parents should avoid these kinds of generic phrases, or kids might become too dependent on affirmations rather than their own motivation.

They suggest being more specific in your praise.

Next on Lauren's List, "Your'e Okay."

Guilty again! Whenever my son falls, I quickly scoop him up and say "You're okay" and try to distract him from any pain he might feel.

Well, psychologists say we should instead help our children understand and deal with their emotions, not discount them.

That one will be a tough habit to break for me!

We've all heard this next one, "Practice makes perfect."

According to Parents Magazine, that phrase sends the message that if you make mistakes, you didn't train hard enough. Not everyone can be perfect, after all.

And finally on Lauren's List of what experts say not to say to your kids, "Don't talk to strangers."

A spokesperson for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children says kids may take this rule to literally and resist the help of people they don't know well or at all, like a new teacher, police officers or an emergency room doctor.

Instead, experts say parents should warn kids about certain scenarios and not strangers all together.

I'm still pretty new to this parenting thing, and I'm sure I'll catch myself saying these things a lot over the next 18 years or so, but I will definitely try to choose my words carefully moving forward.

I want to know, what do you never say to your kids and why?

Get in touch with me on Facebook (facebook.com/laurenpastrananews) or on Twitter (@laurenpastrana).

Share future Lauren's List ideas with me via email at lpastrana@cbs.com.