Praise
4 articles
Parenting
Why Praise Must Be Specific to Be Effective
"Good job" is harmless on its own and useless in volume. A child who hears it 40 times a day doesn't know which 40 things you meant. Specific praise —...
Parenting
The Problem With Telling Children They Are Smart
"You're so smart" sounds like the safest thing you can say to a child. The data say otherwise. In a series of well-replicated studies, children praise...
Parenting
How Positive Reinforcement Actually Works
Positive reinforcement is one of the most reliable tools in the behavioral science toolkit — and one of the easiest to misuse. Done well, it strengthe...
Parenting
Building Self-Esteem in Young Children: What Actually Works
The self-esteem industry has done children few favours. The generation raised on trophy-for-everyone participation awards and "you're so special" prai...