Why saying "good job" isn't enough.

When you meet a child, what do you normally say?

“That’s such a cute dress!”

“He’s adorable!”

What message does it send?

Later, if the child does anything noteworthy, you’ll likely hear some form of “good job!”

What would happen if instead of recognizing the outsides, we recognize the insides, the intent?

If we say “I love the way you tried to wait for daddy to finish speaking before jumping in. I understand it’s frustrating. I know if you keep trying, you’ll get it!”

What would happen if we recognized how that influences the rest of the group?

If we say “by trying so hard, you’ve inspired me and the kids around us to be persistent and try as well. Thank you!”

This doesn’t just apply to kids.

When’s the last time you received a compliment that recognized your insides?

When’s the last time you gave a compliment that recognized intent?

Thanks for caring!

With gratitude,

Anwell Tsai