Parents everywhere praise their kids. Jenn Berman, author of The A to Z Guide to Raising Happy, Confident Kids, says, “We’ve gone to the opposite extreme of a few decades ago when parents tended to be more strict.” By giving kids a lot of praise, parents think they’re building their children’s confidence, when, in fact, it may be just the opposite. 【小题1】

Still, don’t go too far in the other direction. 【小题2】 Kids will feel like they’re not good enough or that you don’t care and, as a result, may see no point in trying hard for their accomplishments.

So what is the right amount of praise? 【小题3】 If praise is focused on the effort not the outcome, you can give it as often as your kid does something deserving a verbal (口头的) reward. For example, when a kid comes home excited with a great mark, say, “You deserve it! Your devotion and perseverance paid off.” 【小题4】

Besides, remember to praise sincerely. Kids are more perceptive (有感知力的) than many adults realize, and they often can tell the difference between sincere and insincere praise. When kids sense your praise insincere, they assume you feel sorry for them or don’t understand them. 【小题5】