Motherhood

Why You Should Stop Saying 'Good Job' Constantly

Why You Should Stop Saying 'Good Job' Constantly

'Good job!' for everything — finishing food, going to bathroom, doing homework, drawing — makes praise meaningless. Children stop noticing. Specific feedback ('you used really bold colors in that drawing') teaches what they did well and what to repeat.

What works better

Specific observation: 'You worked on that for 20 minutes — that's real focus.' Process praise: 'You kept trying even when it was hard.' Effort focus: 'You practiced that song every day this week.' Skip generic praise of outcomes.

Children who receive specific feedback develop more accurate self-assessment and stronger growth mindset than those who get constant generic praise.