'Good Boy'

[rrreow]

I know it's such a widely used phrase (and its intention is positive) but it really gets my back up as when I hear people say it, especially my family members saying it to DS. It just reminds me of how you talk to a dog, not a child!

It might be specifically obvious to me personally because DS is bilingual and in my language (not English) the phrase doesn't really exist except for the type of thing you'd say to a dog/pet.

I'm sure this is totally subjective and maybe I'm being over sensitive, but what are your thoughts on this?

over sensitive. Completely.

I don't like it either, but for other reasons. I don't like a child being told that they are 'good' (or, by implication that they can be 'bad') rather than that their behaviour is good. I try to say 'well done' or similar.

Over sensitive - I praise my dog and children with pretty much the same terms: they don't care. Praise is praise whatever the language used! Sometimes I can throw out one compliment or loving statement and they all wag their tails !

There are more children in the world than dogs, so I don't think that dogs should have the monopoly on that phrase. It should be the other way round - people talking to their dogs like they do to their children...

I don't like dogs being referred to as "boys" or "girls" . I reckon its weird. Like when owners call themselves the animals "mum". Weird.

Over sensitive I think I'm afraid.. I use Good boy, well done, hooray, nice try etc. all the time, and I don't think DS cares that I might say similar things to any animals I meet.

I see the point about emphasising behaviours but it's just far too much effort to muck about with the language I've been using for more than 30 years - although I do notice that I will say 'that's bad' rather than 'bad boy' - I think that's easier because 'bad boy' doesn't actually explain what was bad, where as 'that's bad' makes it clear it's something he's just done.

Amanda I agree with that in principle, but does that mean you can never say 'wow, you're a clever girl' because the flip side of that is that she might be thick as well?

Wow. Xery over sensitive. I use that phrase all the time. I'm pretty sure my DS doesn't now think he's a dog!

Over sensitive. It's my eldest's favourite phrase & he signs it to me as the school bus drives off killing himself laughing. I'm not sure he could sign a long winded alternative.

Daisy - I try to say "Wow, that's really clever" or "Wow, how clever of you to do your own shoes" or whatever. I don't always remember. DH says 'good girl' too. So I'm not a zealot over it. It's just a phrase I'm not massively keen on.