Today's post brings the words of a great blogger sharing her experience as a mom. It comes with a cute printable of this acronym describing 5 ways to build kids self-confidence and sense of self.
Praise
I could (and probably will) write an entire post on how I do and don't praise my kids. (you'll have to browse Steph's blog for that...)
Basically it comes down to this: be specific and genuine (i.e. avoid lots of generic "good job!"s) and praise effort /avoid labels (i.e. "I like how you kept trying" not "you're so smart").
Reflection
Repeat back what they're telling you. It sounds simple (it is) but it shows that you're listening and involved in what they're saying.
Imitation
Copying their play and actions has the same benefits as reflection.
Describing Behavior
Again, this is about noticing what they're doing. So if they say, "Look mommy!" and push a truck over to you, then you respond with, "You've got your new fire truck".
Enjoyment
This one's a no-brainer. If you're truly present in the moment and having fun, then you're kids will notice.
One last thing. If you have more than one child, they will benefit from group playtime with you but individual time (even a few minutes) is important too!
Again, this post is from http://www.modernparentsmessykids.com/
Soon you'll be hearing more from me.
xoxo
