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Did you know that when you praise your children, you're actually modeling how to notice and express appreciation? Your praise actually encourages them to be pleasant to others.
When you praise your children for certain successes and not for others, you're teaching them what is most important to you. For example, praising your child for accomplishments earned in athletics while ignoring academic achievements says a lot about what you value in your child.
In today's consumer-oriented society, kids absorb a barrage of messages that scream, "Material possessions determine self-worth!" If your children believe that, then it's important to negate that message with your own - less materialistic - beliefs. First and foremost, tell your children you love them for who they are. Then teach your children to recognize how the media's messages can sometimes be manipulative.
Advertisers are skilled at the art of making people - young and old - believe a particular product or certain look will bring success, love, happiness and joy. Ultimately, true contentment can't be found in things and your children need to hear that. Teach your children to have a healthy skepticism toward advertising and media by showing them the difference between wants and needs. By doing this, your children will become better consumers and more grounded individuals.
As parents, it's often easier to criticize and identify the faulty logic used by advertisers than it is to recognize our own communication breakdowns. If you want your children to learn the art of appreciation by valuing that which is truly important, then be generous with your praise and steadfast in your beliefs.
source parenting.org/article/apprec
iation-how-teach-it-our-kids
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