Hey Moms and Dads,
Have you heard about the power of praise? A magic that happens when someone says “I am so proud of you” or “That is right! You have done it well!” All of us love such praises and they make us feel valued and upbeat. The same is the case with our little ones.

Praising your child for initiatives they take to help someone, to speak the truth, study well, eat healthy food, take care of dressing well, wash their hands, feet and face after playing in the park, put their plate in the kitchen sink after eating their meals, etc goes a long way in building a feel good factor. Let us see what are the power phrases one can use while praising the kids:

“You make me proud”
“You have very nice ideas!”
“You are a good girl/good boy!”
“I know you did your best”
“I trust you”
“I am sure you wanted to help”
“You are very kind”

Now let us see what these short phrases of praise can do for your child:

1. They feel good and continue doing activities that bring praise thus developing good habits
2. It builds a good character making them more enterprising and not afraid of making and admitting mistakes
3. Can teach them how to behave well and improve positive vocabulary
4. Regular praise improves self-esteem and helps live a positive life

Just reading these positive outcomes can make one feel so good, isn’t it? However, it is important that these praises are worded correctly and used only when a child does something praise worthy. Also there are a few approaches we need to keep in mind while doing this. Come let us explore them together:

1. Be honest. Do not make insincere and excessive praises throughout the day to satisfy the child’s ego.
2. Be more specific to cater to their limited vocabulary. Instead of ‘Good job’ we can say “I am happy to hear that you have a good solution to this problem.” This helps them understand the exact reason for the praise.
3. Praise the efforts not the outcome.
4. Never compare them with peers or siblings! Instead encourage them to help others to be better in what they are good.
5. Do not over praise for the good habits they already have incorporated in their lives. This might make them believe it to be the end of trying newer activities.

Praise is a double sided sword and should be used as such. It is extremely crucial in cultivating the child’s
growth as a good human being.
Happy parenting! 😊