You might have a child like this:
They finish their homework and say, “I did really badly…” — even if there weren’t many mistakes.
They put in a lot of effort preparing for a competition or test,
but get visibly upset if the result doesn’t meet their expectations.
When you praise them, they respond, “It’s useless, others are still better than me.”
Sometimes they suddenly lose their temper, but more often, they just quietly withdraw.
If you’ve ever wondered,
“Why does my child give up so easily? Why can’t I get through to them?”
They might be a little Oh-Potato.
🥔 Their emotional language: What they’re really trying to say is — “I really want to do well.”
Oh-Potato children usually:
Hold high expectations for themselves, but blame themselves when they fall short
Deeply long for encouragement but don’t know how to ask
Don’t cry out loud, but quietly carry the weight of failure
Have passion inside, but choose to hide it to avoid future disappointment
They’re not unwilling to be strong — they just don’t know how to handle the feeling of
“I tried my best, but it still wasn’t enough.”
💡 What might they be thinking?
“I did so badly… you must be disappointed.”
“I’m afraid if I try again, I’ll fail — so I don’t want to talk about it.”
“I want you to be proud of me, but I can’t meet your expectations…”
But deep down, they might be asking:
“Do you think I’m useless too?”
“Can you give me time to believe in myself again?”
“If you don’t say I did badly, maybe I’ll feel a bit lighter…”
✅ How can I support them?
1. Acknowledge the effort behind the result
👧: “I only got 70 marks…”
👩: “I saw how hard you studied and got up early to revise — that was real effort.”
➡️ Show them: It’s not just results that matter — the process is worthy of recognition too.
2. Don’t rush to fix their pessimism — sit with it first
👦: “I really think I’m a failure.”
👨: “Tell me more. What makes you feel that way? I really want to understand.”
➡️ When you don’t immediately argue against their negative emotions,
they’ll feel safer to release the pressure.
3. Help them rediscover small but real successes
“You didn’t win the match, but I saw you helping pack up all the equipment today.
That showed real responsibility.”
➡️ Oh-Potato kids need to know: their value isn’t just about winning or losing —
it’s also about who they are as a person.
4. Give them space for quiet — without abandoning them
If they don’t feel like talking, you can say:
“I know you don’t feel like talking. I’ll sit next to you for a while.
If you want to say something, I’m here.”
➡️ Don’t force them to speak — support them with your presence.
Let them know: You’re not alone.
🥔 Oh-Potato children really want you to know:
“It’s not that I don’t have dreams — I’m just too scared to be disappointed again.”
“I don’t need to be number one — I just hope you won’t mind if I’m a little slow.”
“I don’t want you to worry about me,
but I really, really want someone to encourage me to take another step.”
💬 You can say to them:
“It’s okay to be sad — I won’t blame you. I’ve felt like that too.”
“The fact that you’re willing to try again already makes you amazing.”
“You don’t need to be happy all the time — I’ll be with you through the hard days too.”