The Power of Meaningful Praise

I've always thought that children benefit emotionally from having their parents praise them in front of other people, not in a boastful way, but in an appreciative manner. This belief was reaffirmed for me in a second grade class one week. As I walked into the classroom and began to unpack my teaching materials, the teacher said, "Miss Mimi, I need to brag on my class.". She went on to tell me in detail how proud she was of her children's efforts, behavior, manners,etc. She also said that whenever there is a problem, which is fairly seldom, she only has to ask one time, and the issue is corrected. I gazed at the children's faces as their teacher complimented them to me, and they were absolutely beaming. This was genuine nurturing, and these little boys and girls ate it up! I actually had tears in my eyes, which came from being reminded of the powerful influence parents and educators have over children's self confidence. What a wonderful opportunity we have to make a positive difference every single day!