The Happiest Baby on the Block and The Happiest Toddler on the Block 2-Book Bundle pdfdrive com

business for a little bit while he happily continues to play.
Time-Ins: Praise
Sprinkling praise throughout the day is a great way to boost green-light
behaviors. But praise can backfire if it’s done incorrectly. Here’s how to
make your praise really count:
• Give a “balanced diet” of praise. Think of praise as a yummy
casserole you feed to your child: lots of plain noodles (calm
attention) and a big cup of tasty sauce (mild praise and
encouragement) topped with a sprinkle of tangy cheese (cheers
and celebration).

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Kids need a balanced diet of praise, because parents who
always hype it up (“You’re the best boy in the world!”) may
end up with toddlers who either mistrust praise or need
constant applause to feel a sense of self-worth.
• Praise the action you want to encourage … not the child.
When you help with the dishes, would you rather hear “Thanks
for scrubbing the pots, that was really helpful” or “You’re my
best helper ever!”?
I recommend the first because, “You’re my best helper” may be
true one day but false the next (when your child refuses to help).
On the other hand, “Scrubbing the pots really helped” is 100
percent true and it highlights exactly the behavior you want.
• Praise good tries. Cheer your child on when he tries, even if he
doesn’t quite succeed (“Good try pouring the milk!”). You’ll see
steady progress, and he will feel like a success every step of the
way.
• Don’t give praise … then yank it back. “Good. You picked up
your toys. Now, why did I have to nag you to do it?” Ugh!
Psychologists call this “praise spoiling,” and we all hate it. It’s
like getting a gift, then having it yanked right back. It teaches
kids to never trust a compliment.
Time-Ins: Gossip
Gossip is one of my favorite ways to green-light good behavior.
What It Is:
Gossip means saying things out loud near your child, so
he overhears. It works so well because all of us (kids and adults) are
more likely to believe something if we overhear it than if it’s told directly
to us. Gossip makes your praise five times more effective. (And it makes
your words of criticism have five times more impact too.)
For example, if a friend says, “You look beautiful,” you might just
brush it off as a polite remark. But if you accidentally overhear her

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saying this to someone else, you’ll probably grin and take it to your
heart. (After all, you overheard it, so it wasn’t said to “butter you up.”)
Not only do we tend to believe things we overhear, but when those
comments are whispered—like a secret—we believe them even more.
Best Used For:
Toddlers once they have reached the age of 15 to 18
months. That’s when they begin to understand that people whisper when
they’re saying something extra important.