Philip Mamalakis. Icon and lawn mower (№ 443114)

Telling children what to do is necessary from time to time, but it is not the most effective way to work towards long-term goals. Telling children what to do can sometimes be dangerous because it doesn't necessarily encourage them to think for themselves. And when abused, it can communicate to children that they are not capable of thinking for themselves. Plus, they probably know what to do because we've told them hundreds of times. They just don't want to or don't think about it. Beware of overusing this tool.