"Don't Say Anything At All, If You Don't Have Anything Nice To Say."

When I was little, all my Mother had to do was give me, "the look," to make me behave.  "Little people," aka children act out what they see at home, children that try to tell people off have watched the behavior at home.   

I recall as a child talking negatively about someone and my mother telling me, "if you don't have anything nice to sat, don't say anything at all." As an adult I'm having to relearn this wise adage, from my wise mother and King Solomon.

15 A gentle answer turns away wrath,
    but a harsh word stirs up anger.