preview

The Inverse Power Of Praise Analysis

Decent Essays
Open Document

The Inverse Power of Praise Reflection
The Inverse Power of Praise deeply resonated with me as it explained a phenomenon that I hadn’t realized I was experiencing. Language is a powerful tool that we as a society don’t consider very often. Children are especially sensitive to this power and it’s our duty to use it correctly.
Throughout my career as a student I’ve always been concerned with how others see me. In my classes, the “smart ones” were the cool people. Being part of this environment that valued being “smart” caused me to strive for the higher grade. For as long as I can remember I’ve always gotten down on myself whenever I deemed my performance unsatisfactory. Being smart was what made you valuable at school, and I’ve always struggled …show more content…

However, my parents praise me and my siblings based on our effort. Yes, grades are important, but they’ve never been what makes us valuable. My family has tried to stress the importance of being well-rounded and happy with life. Despite their efforts, the very next day I would have to spend 8 hours in the facility that only valued how “smart” I was.
Because of my experience with school, I’ve become extremely self-motivated. I have always strived to be the best I can be. This also means that I tend to drag myself down whenever I feel as though I’ve failed. Praise from others would help relive this dejection for a little while, but only succeeded in reaffirming the lofty standards I held myself to.
As a caretaker of young children, I understand the desire to encourage my kids. We want them to be amazing and fully functional human beings. Unfortunately for us, that means that they have to learn to maintain themselves. Instead of holding them to high standards and forcing the desire for higher knowledge on them, they need to be curious and excited about their learning. Children need to grow up in a non-judgmental, encouraging and positive environment, and that includes both home and

Get Access