Praise, Not Flattery

Perhaps once in a hundred years a person may be ruined by excessive praise, but surely once in every minute someone dies inside for lack of it.Cecil G. Osborne

Sometimes it is hard being with your kids all day long.  Okay- A LOT of times it is hard.  And sometimes it seems all you can see is what everyone is NOT doing. 

Let me just preface this by saying that I don't espouse the notion that 'every child is a WINNER!' if they don't earn it.  Too many free trophies are handed out to this generation of kids that they may or may not have earned.  BUT, I believe everyone has something worth praising.  Sometimes it may only be "I am so glad to see you put the cap back on the toothpaste tube!"...but it is still something.

Today, my challenge is this- to praise my children more than I scold them.  Don't get me wrong...praise and flattery are two different things.  Praise is earned through actually doing something.  Flattery are words just used to make someone feel good.  Today I will try to find things to praise my kids for. 

As I read in Michelle Duggar' book, and I am paraphrasing here...be careful what you praise your children for, they will want to do more of it.  Be careful what you criticize your children for, they will never want to do it again.

So...who's up for this challenge?  I know I am.