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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>What's With All The Constant Praising?
Naptime yet? 09:27 AM 09-05-2014
Good job eating all your peas! Good job putting on your coat! Good job drinking all your juice!
It seems like kids are being praised for every little thing nowadays and it's driving me crazy! Is "good job" the hottest buzz phrase? And then when kids don't hear those two magic words, it becomes look at me, look at me, look at me until they hear them.
I'm having a very bitter day. Good job, moodiness
!
It seems like kids are being praised for every little thing nowadays and it's driving me crazy! Is "good job" the hottest buzz phrase? And then when kids don't hear those two magic words, it becomes look at me, look at me, look at me until they hear them.
I'm having a very bitter day. Good job, moodiness
!
Blackcat31 09:35 AM 09-05-2014
Originally Posted by Naptime yet?:
Good job eating all your peas! Good job putting on your coat! Good job drinking all your juice!
It seems like kids are being praised for every little thing nowadays and it's driving me crazy! Is "good job" the hottest buzz phrase? And then when kids don't hear those two magic words, it becomes look at me, look at me, look at me until they hear them.
I'm having a very bitter day. Good job, moodiness!
Good job voicing your stresses!! Good job eating all your peas! Good job putting on your coat! Good job drinking all your juice!
It seems like kids are being praised for every little thing nowadays and it's driving me crazy! Is "good job" the hottest buzz phrase? And then when kids don't hear those two magic words, it becomes look at me, look at me, look at me until they hear them.
I'm having a very bitter day. Good job, moodiness
!
Good job!! < currently my LEAST favorite phrase ever...it's like fingernails on a chalk board for me!!
I agree too! WAY to much praise for little or no effort, other than simply breathing or standing there.
Sunshine74 09:42 AM 09-05-2014
I have a co-worker who does this constantly. Thank goodness she works in a different room. But the kids could walk by her on their way outside and she will say, "good job, good job." Good job at what, walking?!
Unregistered 08:44 PM 09-05-2014
Originally Posted by Sunshine74:
I have a co-worker who does this constantly. Thank goodness she works in a different room. But the kids could walk by her on their way outside and she will say, "good job, good job." Good job at what, walking?!
As a former teacher, I would often say this to child going out to recess/gym or walking down the stairs. Maybe it's an inner city thing, where I taught, but some children don't know how to walk in a line and not scream and push. I'm talking elementary age. I have a co-worker who does this constantly. Thank goodness she works in a different room. But the kids could walk by her on their way outside and she will say, "good job, good job." Good job at what, walking?!
I'm guilty of overpraising because I know some student get no attention at home. My compliments are always sincere. Like Xavier is a good artist. If Gina asks, I'll say "You're a great singer" or "Mommy sent you in a pretty dress". I always make sure to give sincere compliments.
laloolee 09:39 AM 09-05-2014
As a parent I have to watch out for this myself. The words do lose their meaning when in a constant shuffle of absent-minded praise. Thinking it will hopefully work out to replace this with "Thank you" instead until I can break the habit. Sometimes I am just thankful something has gone smoothly on rough days so I overpraise the good stuff and the littlest of things. 
Hope your day goes better!
Hope your day goes better!
MBF 09:44 AM 09-05-2014
I posted this elsewhere and was kinda slammed, but I absolutely hate the phrase "good job" it is waaay overused and for the simplest task. I think of every other way to encourage rather than just praise. I had a child whose mom used it constantly, who then used it here on his friends and me. had to put a stop to it. this is why I have such a hard time going to the local park, makes me cringe to hear all the parents use it.
daycarediva 09:54 AM 09-05-2014
Originally Posted by Sunshine74:
I have a co-worker who does this constantly. Thank goodness she works in a different room. But the kids could walk by her on their way outside and she will say, "good job, good job." Good job at what, walking?!
Ok, this made me LOL literally. GOOD JOB MAKING ME LAUGH! I have a co-worker who does this constantly. Thank goodness she works in a different room. But the kids could walk by her on their way outside and she will say, "good job, good job." Good job at what, walking?!
I say
You did it all by yourself!
That took quite a bit of effort!
You sure must like peas!
Wow, lots of COLORS!
My annoyance today is "Am I being a good boy?" to a kid who is ALWAYS told how good he is. "You are such a good boy for putting your shoes away." "Good boy getting your papers."
If you weren't, don't you think I'd be saying something? LOL! Also, this kid is one of my most challenging kids, so "good" isn't the word I'd use to describe him. Funny as all get out, I hope he becomes a comedian because I've never seen a snarkier 4 year old who understands sarcasm and hope to see his stand up one day. But GOOD? No.
Heidi 10:24 AM 09-05-2014
Originally Posted by daycarediva:
Ok, this made me LOL literally. GOOD JOB MAKING ME LAUGH!
I say
You did it all by yourself!
That took quite a bit of effort!
You sure must like peas!
Wow, lots of COLORS!
My annoyance today is "Am I being a good boy?" to a kid who is ALWAYS told how good he is. "You are such a good boy for putting your shoes away." "Good boy getting your papers."
If you weren't, don't you think I'd be saying something? LOL! Also, this kid is one of my most challenging kids, so "good" isn't the word I'd use to describe him. Funny as all get out, I hope he becomes a comedian because I've never seen a snarkier 4 year old who understands sarcasm and hope to see his stand up one day. But GOOD? No.
I like those. I also use good, old-fashioned "Thank you". But, ""good job" does slip out sometimes. Just not for every breathe. Ok, this made me LOL literally. GOOD JOB MAKING ME LAUGH!
I say
You did it all by yourself!
That took quite a bit of effort!
You sure must like peas!
Wow, lots of COLORS!
My annoyance today is "Am I being a good boy?" to a kid who is ALWAYS told how good he is. "You are such a good boy for putting your shoes away." "Good boy getting your papers."
If you weren't, don't you think I'd be saying something? LOL! Also, this kid is one of my most challenging kids, so "good" isn't the word I'd use to describe him. Funny as all get out, I hope he becomes a comedian because I've never seen a snarkier 4 year old who understands sarcasm and hope to see his stand up one day. But GOOD? No.
TwinKristi 10:30 AM 09-05-2014
I'm probably guilty of this myself. After working in a center environment where we were pushed to use that phrase all the time and to save NO only for the absolute most extreme cases. LOL then parents say it so I kinda carry it over in their coming in and such. It's not a phrase I use normally but do from time to time to pump the kids moods up. "Oh my gosh you guys are going such a good job eating your lunch! You must be super hungry today from all that fun we had!" That kinda stuff. Just to schmooze things over when they need that extra umph to finish. LOL
KSDC 09:56 AM 09-05-2014
I hate to qualify every thing as "good".
Better to say: "You ate all your peas. Wow, you must have been hungry"
or "You put your coat on all by yourself. You must feel proud to be able to do that!"
Kids need to not be addicted to us thinking they are "good". They need to be proud of their own accomplishments!
Better to say: "You ate all your peas. Wow, you must have been hungry"
or "You put your coat on all by yourself. You must feel proud to be able to do that!"
Kids need to not be addicted to us thinking they are "good". They need to be proud of their own accomplishments!
Naptime yet? 10:03 AM 09-05-2014
Originally Posted by MBF:
I posted this elsewhere and was kinda slammed, but I absolutely hate the phrase "good job" it is waaay overused and for the simplest task. I think of every other way to encourage rather than just praise. I had a child whose mom used it constantly, who then used it here on his friends and me. had to put a stop to it. this is why I have such a hard time going to the local park, makes me cringe to hear all the parents use it.
Sorry, MBF, I didn't mean to bring this up again. I posted this elsewhere and was kinda slammed, but I absolutely hate the phrase "good job" it is waaay overused and for the simplest task. I think of every other way to encourage rather than just praise. I had a child whose mom used it constantly, who then used it here on his friends and me. had to put a stop to it. this is why I have such a hard time going to the local park, makes me cringe to hear all the parents use it.
And I say, slam away!
I tend to say, "I knew you could do it", which is probably a phrase that's listed on the other thread....
It's like that Nickmom commercial, where the old man says," I don't get a reward for pottying" or something to that effect. Just because a child doesn't hear "good job" at every move doesn't mean he/she will have low self esteem...does it?