healthy kids
Mindful Kudos BEST WAYS TO PRAISE KIDS AND BOOST SELF-CONFIDENCE by Ronica O’Hara intellectual growth. Some of the researchbased advice that has emerged includes:
Praise Effort, Not Intelligence Numerous studies have found that when children are repeatedly given accolades for their intellect or talent, they can come to believe those traits are innate and fixed, which then makes them more fearful of failing or even encountering challenges. On the other hand, when kids are taught that success depends on continued effort and hard work, they are more likely to seek out challenges, apply themselves to tough tasks and be resilient in the face of failure. Suggested parental statements include: “I like the way you tried a lot of different strategies on that math problem until you finally got it.” “That was a hard English assignment, but you stuck with it until you got it done.” “Mistakes are so interesting. Let’s see what we can learn from it.”
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Don’t Go Over the Top
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iving ample kudos to our kids is an everyday part of parenting. To motivate youngsters to excel in school and activities, we pat them on the back repeatedly in ways that were unimaginable a century ago, when even kissing babies was frowned upon by many. In one survey, 85 percent of American parents said that praising their children’s ability or intelligence when they perform well helps kids feel smarter. But praise turns out to be a double-edged sword, as recent decades of psychological and educational research have made clear. Yes, praise can build character, motivation and resilience, just as parents hope. But when done unskillfully, say psychologists, it can have the opposite effect and actually lower children’s confidence, dampen their motivation and stifle 20
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Paradoxically, getting praised too lavishly can shake children and make them less likely to take risks. “Research has shown that extreme praise—using words like “incredible” or “best ever”—can create an excessive expectation that the child can feel incapable of meeting. They tend to become less tolerant of their mistakes, and tolerance of mistakes is a critical element in ultimate success,” says clinical psychologist John F. Tholen, Ph.D., in Seal Beach, California, author of Focused Positivity. Excessive praise can also nudge overconfident children toward narcissism, especially if it involves comparison with other children.
