Praise Hard Work

August 8, 2008

Keep in mind the advice from Carol Dweck: “Don’t praise your child’s intelligence or talent!” That was her top advice in Expert Tips: Parenting. She goes on to say:

Instead, try to praise your children’s effort, strategies, choices, persistence, or improvement. Praise the process they engage in. Focus them on the process of learning, not the goal of being smart. My research shows that when you do this, children love challenges and thrive on them. And, when they hit difficulty or setbacks, they don’t panic—they just apply their effort and strategies.

I know this advice, and I believe it. Still, I often find myself falling into calling a kid smart or saying that they have great athletic ability. But then I remind myself: Praise their hard work. As Dweck says:

It may seem awkward at first, but if you really try, I think you’ll like the results!

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