# Psychologist warns moving children’s baubles may undermine their confidence

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/how-this-common-christmas-tree-mistake-while-it-may-seem-harmless-could-damage-your-childs-self-esteem/
- Published: 2026-11-15T18:31:46+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-15T18:47:38+00:00
- Original publisher: Daily Mail (publisher lean: Right)
- Original article: https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-16294503/Christmas-tree-mistake-damage-childs-self-esteem.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490
- Topics: UK, World

## Key points

- Regularly “fixing” children’s decorations may affect how they value their efforts.
- Three in ten surveyed parents secretly redecorate the tree.
- A child’s own branch could offer a compromise.

## Summary

A child psychologist has warned that regularly rearranging or removing children’s Christmas decorations may make them feel their efforts are not good enough. She says decorating the tree can give children a chance to express themselves and feel included in family traditions, so parents should consider accepting its imperfections.

The warning follows a survey of 2,000 parents commissioned by Crayola: three in ten said they secretly redecorate the tree, nearly half move children’s baubles and 15 per cent remove decorations. Two thirds feel pressure to create a picture-perfect tree, while 41 per cent believe a tree should tell a family’s story; Dr Becky Spelman suggested giving children their own branch or a small tree as a compromise.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.