You should aim to praise your children five times a day to help them thrive socially and emotionally, according to a new research.
Kids who received this level of praise experienced a boost in their wellbeing and a drop in hyperactivity and inattention in a study by researchers at De Monfort University in the UK, reports TIME.
The study involved 38 parents of 2- to 4-year-olds and saw some of the group track how much they praised their children, while the others did not monitor how much praise they gave.
Those who praised their children five times a day reported an improvement in the kids’ wellbeing, behaviour and attention span, and less hyperactivity, compared to the kids of parents who didn’t track their praise.
“Sometimes it’s easier to criticize than it is to compliment,” the researchers told parents in the study.
“Bad behavior is more obvious than good behavior—you’re much more likely to notice when your child is yelling than you are to notice when your child is quietly reading a book.”
The study was conducted as part of De Monfort’s Five Praises campaign, which aims to get parents and caregivers to give “frequent positive and loving attention to their children.”
According to the campaign website, the researchers chose the number five “to echo the ‘five fruits and vegetables’ slogan.
“You might use fewer or more, but the important point is that the children should hear positive messages frequently and over weeks and months, not just for a day or two.”
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