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No matter how old we are, praise is important. It lets us know that other people recognize that we're doing a good job, and that our work is appreciated; in other words, it helps build our self-esteem. Self-esteem is especially important to growing children, who face new challenges every day - both inside and outside the classroom.
Praising your child is an easy way to help build the resiliency and self-confidence that will help him face those challenges. Young children rely on their parents more than anyone else to gauge their self-worth. With your help, your child can feel good about himself right from the start.
Here are some short pointers on praising your child:
- Do it often. Try making sure to praise your child at least once a day; it may sound like a lot, but it will quickly become second nature. Self-esteem isn't built on a single good experience; it comes from steady reinforcement.
- Be specific and honest. You can certainly tell when someone is praising you insincerely - so can your child. Look for specific things your child is doing well: being polite to other children or working hard on projects, for example.
- Be an active listener when your child speaks. Listening carefully to your child sends the message that his thoughts are important. It's a subconscious kind of praise.
It really comes down to being vocal about all the good things you notice your child doing. There's so much to notice that it's easy to overlook some things - but it's important to let your child know that you recognize all the good work he does.
For more information on praising your child and self-esteem, try one of these links: