Nicole Madigan explains why she believes praise is an important part of growing up and asks, if your parents can’t plump your feathers then who can?
As a young child I received constant praise from my parents.
It didn’t matter what I did, as long as I tried my best, I was showered with praise and encouraged to keep going.
As I grew older, of course, their focus shifted to the areas of my strengths, however the same concept applied – providing I’d given something my all, I’d receive an abundance of positive reinforcement.
I firmly believe my parents’ attitudes to my abilities, average though they were, directly contributed to my confidence and determination as a teenager and indeed my achievements in adulthood.
Essentially, the praise related to effort and, to this day, I rest easy knowing I’ve done my best regardless of the outcome and my confidence remains intact despite any setbacks.