An elephant never forgets.  When they are too small to escape, we train elephants in captivity by shackling their ankles and staking them down.  They try to tug away from their bonds, but eventually learn they can't get loose. That’s when their “elephant memory” takes over.  For the rest of their lives, they remember they can't get away.  Likewise, when someone makes a careless comment to a child, like, “You’re not big enough to make the football team,” or “You aren’t smart enough to get into that school,” they drive a mental stake into the child’s mind that they will never forget…which could hold them back for the rest of their lives.  So use words to build up, not tear down. 

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