If you’re like me, there are probably times when you hear yourself talking to your kids and say to yourself, “Did I just say that?” All of us struggle with how to discipline our kids. There are libraries full of books on how to discipline your kids. What we may not always realize is that just as much as we struggle with disciplining our kids, we also struggle with encouraging our kids. What do we say when our kids do something right? Sometimes finding the words to encourage is just as hard as finding the right way to discipline.
I ran across this list of 101 ways to praise a child and I now keep it in a handy place. It’s a great reminder to me that my job isn’t to keep my kids in line. That may be a part of raising kids, but the biggest part is helping my kids discover who they are and how to live. As a parent, I am to be an encourager. This list is a great reminder of that role and a great starting point for encouraging your child.