Praising your child is one of the most important things a parent can do. Praise is nourishment; it helps your child grow emotionally just as food helps your child grow physically.

Many of us have been trained to focus on the negative-to see our children's mistakes and shortcomings. When describing their own childhood experiences, it's not uncommon to hear adults say that "when growing up, the only time I heard from my parents was when I had done something wrong." Does this sound familiar?

But when parents actively focus on as many positive things as possible, children feel better about themselves, and positive behaviors increase drastically. Praise really works! Just make sure you are consistent.

Remember that you children won't always remember what you said, but they will definitely remember how you made them feel.