How to praise your child the right way

8 tips for better praise

1. Praise effort and strategy, not just results.
2. Be specific about what your child did well.
3. Praise progress: compare with last week, not with other children.
4. Mean it; children can tell when praise is automatic.
5. Praise kindness, honesty and patience, not only achievements.
6. Use praise straight away, while the moment is fresh.
7. Avoid labels like "genius" or "the smart one".
8. Let your child praise themselves: "How do you feel about it?"

20 praise phrases to use

1. You worked really hard on that.
2. I can see how much you practised.
3. You didn't give up, even when it was hard.
4. You spoke so clearly.
5. I love how you looked at the audience.
6. That was a brave thing to try.
7. You've improved so much since last week.
8. You found a new way to solve it.
9. Thank you for being so patient.
10. That was very kind of you.
11. You listened really carefully.
12. You used some great new words.
13. I noticed you helped your sister.
14. You kept trying different ideas.
15. You should be proud of yourself.
16. You were honest, and that matters.
17. Your story had a great beginning.
18. You stayed calm when it went wrong.
19. You remembered your lines really well.
20. I enjoyed listening to you.

How should I praise my child?

Praise effort, progress and specific actions, like "You spoke clearly", rather than general praise or labels like "clever".

Is too much praise bad for children?

Constant, general praise can lose meaning. Specific, honest praise for effort builds confidence without pressure.

What can I say instead of good job?

Try specific phrases like "You worked really hard on that", "You didn't give up" or "You used some great new words".