Almost everybody likes receiving praise, especially children. It helps build their confidence and self-esteem. However, parents need to know that there is a proper way on how to encourage and praise children.
Raising Children shared some useful tips that all parents should learn about. These tips can help parents properly praise their kids to improve their behavior, personality and self-confidence.
1. Be a good observant.
Observing how your children think, act and speak is the first step to an effective way of praising children. Make sure to give praise to every display of good behavior. When the child starts to do the behavior frequently, you can praise your kid less.
2. Explain why you praised your child.
It is not enough to praise a child's good behavior. Just as important is your explanation on why you praised that behavior. A child has to learn how to value good behavior much more than the praises he or she gets for good behavior.
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3. Avoid comparing.
"Try to appreciate your child's good points," Raising Children advised. "Try to avoid comparing one child to another, because this can lead to feelings of resentment or create unrealistic expectations."
4. Give more praises than criticisms.
Giving constructive criticisms is an important part of parenting. However, parents need to make sure that they point out the good much more often than the bad.
5. Appreciate little changes.
Parents need to realize that their kids are never going to be perfect. Little positive changes and small leaps in child behavior are enough to warrant praise and appreciation from parents.
6. Give surprise rewards once in a while.
Praising children can help develop child behavior. However, giving surprise rewards can also be as effective. "Rewards can be used as positive reinforcement for modifying negative behaviors," Child Development Institute explained. "Also, a variety of reward possibilities helps to keep a child motivated over a long period of time."
