Recently, I took my son to the supermarket. As usual, he ran to the toy section and started begging for toys. I told him we were only there for groceries

and that he wasn’t a little kid anymore. Then, I saw a boy nearby grab a toy car and throw a tantrum. His mom stayed calm, quietly said something to him, and he stopped. They left without the toy. How did she do that?

I’m Mary, and like any parent, I often find myself scolding my child. But I was tired of the constant nagging about school, chores, and everything else. So, with Bright Side, I decided to try a new approach.

My son and I don’t fight often, but we have our fair share of arguments, especially about getting to school or doing chores. I ask pointless questions like, “Why did you do that?” and he just shrugs. These arguments don’t help. Homework doesn’t get done faster, and his room stays messy. We’re all just unhappy. So, I decided to try praising him instead.

Psychologists say that parents should praise actions, not the child, and only in special cases. Too much praise can lead to wrong motivations. But I decided to praise my son for everything, even things that wouldn’t normally be praised.