How to effectively praise a child to strengthen their self-esteem?

Praising a child is one of the simplest and most important ways to build their self-confidence. Praising a child can motivate them to continue developing, strengthen their self-esteem and shape a healthy approach to achievements. However, to be effective, they must be used in the right way. When should you praise a child and how should you do it so that the praise has a positive impact on their development?

Why is praising your child important?

✔ Increases self-confidence – a child who hears praise feels appreciated and more confident in his or her abilities.
✔ Motivates you to act – recognition for your efforts encourages you to take on further challenges.
✔ Shapes a positive approach to learning and work – the child learns that it is worth trying and striving for a goal.
✔ Helps build strong relationships – children who receive constructive praise have better relationships with parents and peers.

When to praise a child?

✔ For the effort, not just the result – it is important to appreciate the effort, not just the end result.
✔ For progress, even if it is small – every achievement is a step forward.
✔ For perseverance and patience – if a child does not give up despite difficulties, it is worth noticing.
✔ For good behavior and empathy – not only successes are worth praising, but also kindness towards others.

How to praise a child effectively?

✔ Be specific – instead of saying “you did well”, it’s better to say “you did great on that difficult math problem”.
✔ Avoid overdoing it – overpraising can cause your child to stop taking praise seriously.
✔ Match praise to the child’s age – younger children need more frequent and more expressive praise.
✔ Emphasize the importance of effort – “You put a lot of work into this drawing, it’s really neat!”

Mistakes When Praising a Child – What to Avoid?

✔ Comparative praise – “You’re better than your friend” can lead to competition instead of healthy growth.
✔ General praise – it’s better to avoid statements like “You’re brilliant” and focus on specifics instead.
✔ Too frequent praise for obvious things – the child may stop taking them seriously.
✔ Excessive pressure – praise should not become the child’s obligation, e.g. “I expect you to always be the best.”

Examples of effective praise

✔ “I like how carefully you arranged the blocks.”
✔ “I see you’ve been practicing a lot – your writing is really good now.”
✔ “I appreciate you helping my sister with her assignment.”
✔ "You've made great progress in swimming, I can see you're trying!"

Summary

Praise for a child plays a key role in building their self-esteem. To be effective, it is worth praising for effort, progress and behavior, not just for achievements. Constructive and specific praise helps a child develop motivation and self-confidence. Praising a child in an appropriate way is not only a way to strengthen their self-esteem, but also to build a strong bond between the child and the parent.