Examples:

· I don’t care what the other kids do.

· I couldn’t care less why you forgot to pay the bills.

· I don’t care!

Explanation:

Relationships are based on caring — caring about the other person, caring about what the other person does and says. That’s why saying “I don’t care”, no matter what the context, is one of the worst things you can say.

The phrase has such powerful negative meanings that it’s virtually impossible to use it and end up with a positive outcome.

It blots out any positive things you could say to cushion the blow, and it makes no difference what your intent might be in using the phrase.

When you use this phrase it will often be the ONLY thing the other person remembers about the discussion.

Make It Better:

If your intent is to convey that what the other person said isn’t relevant to the present conversation, try these:

· I’m not sure how what you’ve said is relevant to what we’re talking about. Could you explain so I understand?

· What other kids do is up to THEIR parents, so let’s stick to what you and I are going to do.

· Whatever the reason, not paying the bills on time costs us in interest, so let’s figure out some way we can get them paid promptly.