Praise Your Children Consistently and Often: A Reminder

     When my children were young, it was so easy to lavish them with praise:
     "'Mama!'  That's right!  He's a genius!  He said 'Mama'!"
     "Oh my goodness!  What a big boy you are!  You went pee-pee in the potty!"
     "Wow!  What a great reader you are!"
     "Yes!  Three grapes plus one grape is four grapes!  You are so smart!"
     "Look at you!  You're riding your bike all by yourself!"
     "What a good sharer you are!"
     Somewhere along the line, it gets harder.  I'm not sure why, and maybe it's just me, but it gets harder.  For one, by ages 9 and 12, they are most certainly putting their pee-pee in the potty.  Furthermore, as a homeschooling mom, I'm trying hard to help my children succeed by pointing out their mistakes -- on math, grammar, spelling, writing, etc.  As a Christian mom, I want my kids to become more Christ-like by pointing out all the ways they are not acting like Christ.  Do I spend an equal amount of time pointing out when they ARE showing the fruits of the Spirit?
     The middle-school years are full of insecurity, and I need to remember to praise my boys MORE as they get older, not less.  Kids need their moms and dads to praise them sincerely for effort, hard-work, integrity, Christ-likeness, and the things they do right.  
     So, take a minute and look for a reason to praise your children today!  Make it a habit. As your children get older, don't forget it.  They need it more, not less.
     That's my prayer for today and for the future -- that I will become better at praising my boys -- consistently and often.