Assertiveness Is a Life Skill — Not an Attitude Problem Let’s Talk About the Worst Advice We Give Kids (and Ourselves) “Just be nice.” It sounds harmless. Polite. Well-intentioned. But in real life? It’s some of the most damaging social advice  we hand out — especially to girls, teens, and emotionally aware adults. Because “just be nice” doesn’t teach communication. It teaches suppression . At the heart of this advice is a confusion many of us grow up with — assertiveness vs