Giving verbal praise for positive behaviour is important because it encourages children to continue to make good choices and develop a positive mindset. It also helps to boost their self-esteem and confidence. To ensure that your words are meaningful, it is important to make sure to use specific positive language when praising children.
For example, if a child displays a particularly helpful attitude, such as offering to help a friend clean up after a play session, you might say: "I'm so proud of you for being such a kind friend and helping out. That was really thoughtful of you!" This conveys to the child that their behaviour was noticed and appreciated.
Using games to reinforce desired positive behaviour can be a great way to help children learn, practice and internalize good habits. Games also make learning more enjoyable and can help create a positive environment for teaching and learning.
For example, if you want to encourage children to be more cooperative, you could play a game that involves teamwork and collaboration. This can help them practice working together and create a sense of accomplishment when they succeed. Additionally, games can provide immediate feedback on how the children are performing, which can help motivate them to continue improving their behaviour.
Spending one-on-one time with your child is important because it helps them to feel special, valued and rewarded. It also allows you to truly focus on them, build a strong connection, and understand their needs and feelings better.
For example, if you want to encourage your child to practice their reading skills, spending one-on-one time with them, reading a book together or playing a word game, can be a great way to reward them for their hard work. This can help motivate them to keep practicing, have fun with language, and develop a lifelong love of reading.
Modeling positive behavior and praising children when they do things correctly is a good practice because it helps to reinforce the desired behavior. By setting a positive example and praising them for doing things right, you can create an environment that encourages and rewards good behavior.
For example, if you want your child to take responsibility for their actions, you could model taking responsibility yourself and praise them when they follow suit. This will help your child to understand the importance of personal accountability and give them the self-confidence to keep making positive choices.
Providing choice is a great way to make a child feel engaged and empowered.
For example, if it’s time for your child to tidy up their toys, instead of just telling them to clean up, give them the option to pick between two different tasks. This gives them a sense of responsibility, autonomy and control over their own behaviour, which will help them to stay motivated and positive throughout the process, thus reinforcing positive behaviour.