Parenting as a Christian Single Dad

Appreciative Praise… Appreciative praise helps your children understand how behavior affects others and is free of evaluation. It gives you an opportunity to mention specific behavior and the positive effects. For example, “Thank you for helping clean the living room, it made that chore easier.” Expresses thanks for a specific behavior. Describes the positive effect it had on your life or that of others. Tells what behaviors are helpful. Shares appreciation. When using appreciative praise you should keep the following in mind. Be sincere! Children can tell when the praise is genuine. Comment on what you observed. Be specific and describe the action you observed. “You really worked at helping your little sister tie her shoes. Now we won’t have to worry about her tripping over her shoe laces.” Evaluative Praise… Even though your intensions are good you want to steer clear of evaluative praise. This praise is when you simply tell your children that they are terrific, super, excell...

There seems to be a difference between good praise and bad praise. One leads to a self-centered attitude while the other builds a positive self-image and self-esteem. As a parent I don’t want my daughter to struggle with some of the same self-image issues that I have struggled with all these years. I now see the light and the power in a positive self-image. With the right praise we can raise our children to be less dependent on what others think and make decisions based on what they approve of for themselves. It is when we are worried about what others think we tend to fall under the bad influences of others. I know I did and I went down a long road that most likely took years off my life and stunted my emotional growth for years. How to Praise Children Praise should not be void of context, effort, or accomplishment. Also, praise should not be limited to raise a “responsible” child. Here are some simple tips to praise your children from family.samhsa.gov – Affirming our childre...