As summer approaches, it’s a good time to garner the power of praise to engage our kids. Here are some tips for effective praise:

What’s the right way to praise kids? Good answers come from Jennifer Henderlong Corpus and Mark Lepper, psychologists who have analyzed over 30 years of studies on the effects of praise (Henderlong and Lepper 2002). They determined that praise can be a powerful motivating force if you follow these guidelines:

• Be sincere and specific with your praise
• Praise kids only for traits they have the power to change
• Use descriptive praise that conveys realistic, attainable standards
• Be careful about praising kids for achievements that come easily
• Be careful about praising kids for doing what they already love to do
• Encourage kids to focus on mastering skills—not on comparing themselves to others

See more at: http://www.parentingscience.com/effects-of-praise.html#sthash.CBbZ2Ku6.dpuf