Who doesn't like to hear a compliment every now and again?
As I mentioned on my Hugs! page, children often feel insecure and unsure of themselves. They
want to feel as if they have worth, and that they aren't just a "kid", but a real human being with feelings.
Sure, there are a lot of children who have everything they want, fit into the "in" crowd, dress the "in"
way, fix their hair in the latest style, but that isn't every child. Once again, if a child feels safe and secure anywhere in this big world, it should be in the home. This is
also where they should find acceptance-not giving excuse to bad behaviors, which still need to be dealt with, but to be accepted
as a human being that is loved-by you.
Most children are
not so vain that you need to worry about complimenting them. If you are dealing with a vain child, practice balance.
Children are still children, and they are growing up in a competitive world. There is no need to tell them that they
are the best at everything, but you should still say good things about the talents and qualities you see in them.
Just be natural-no need to exaggerate the truth, or even lie-find things you can
honestly say you appreciate or notice about your child-an outfit that looks nice on them, they way they fixed their hair,
the way they handled a sticky situation, how good the dinner they made tasted, how well they are doing in school, how you
love their sense of humor, etc.
Children that are never
praised or complimented grow up to be adults who often struggle with low self esteem.
