Giving Praise

Mizz claps for himself when sorting blocks, sometimes between each and every one. He claps after we read books. He has clapped after dropping his sippy cup from the highchair (c'mon, what baby can't do that?). Obviously, he has learned this behavior from his really excited and easy to please parents. So I have been wondering if maybe we are taking the whole praise thing to far. The last thing I want is a kid who has to look to the world for constant validation. I have been dwelling on this subject since reading a local child care center's philosophy (Zenana's Philosophy). My guess is, like everything else in life, moderation is probably the smartest approach. Praise when praise is due, keep it appropriate, and make the tasks as fun and rewarding as possible independent of whether it is done well or not.