17/01/2026
“Can’t you see how useless you are?”
“Look at you, always embarrassing me!”
Some parents say these words loudly. In public. In front of family, friends, church members, neighbors.
They think it’s correction. They think it will teach a lesson.
But here’s the painful truth: public shaming doesn’t correct a child it crushes them.
When a child is humiliated in front of others, something inside them breaks.
Not the behavior—the spirit.
Children raised this way grow up:
▪️Feeling worthless and exposed
▪️Afraid of people’s opinions
▪️Hiding in crowds or avoiding attention
▪️Over-performing just to prove they are not useless
▪️Smiling outside but bleeding inside
They don’t forget the shame.
They carry it into adulthood.
Many parents fall into this routine because shame feels powerful.
Public embarrassment gives parents instant control. It silences a child immediately.
Many parents also repeat what they experienced “I was shouted at in public and I turned out fine.”
Add stress, anger, wounded pride, and the fear of “what people will say,” and parents choose public correction over private instruction.
But the damage lasts far longer than the mistake.
Correct privately. Affirm publicly is the one of the anchor to raise a balance and healthy child.
🔸Address mistakes in calm, private moments
🔸Separate the child from the behavior
🔸Protect your child’s dignity at all costs
🔸Praise in public what you correct in private
🔸Let your child know they are safe, even when wrong
Discipline should teach, not humiliate.
Did you remember when you were shamed in public as a child? Share your thoughts in the comments.
©️ThoughtsbySimplygold
Wuraola Salami
