Encouraging Words

Teaching your student can be a wonderful way to show him that he has great value in your eyes. You can view your time together as an opportunity to encourage him, build him up, and help him develop skills and character.

But sometimes we get so focused on teaching and "improving" our kids that we forget to encourage them. We forget to help our children focus on what is possible rather than what appears to be impossible. And we forget that our words can speak into a child's heart and say "I believe in you."

When teaching your children, keep in mind the type of teacher you would want: friendly, supportive, and encouraging with a you-can-do-it attitude. Here are some tips to help you be a calm, uncritical coach with the worthy goal of helping your child fulfill his natural potential:

• Smile.
• Point out what your student does right more often than his mistakes.
• Treat lesson time as a special time between the two of you.
• Praise your student when he does well. 
• Encourage your student when he feels frustrated.
• Listen to your student.
• Listen to yourself to see if you need to fit in more expressions of approval.

“Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless.”  –Mother Teresa

If your student ever feels discouraged, try some of these encouraging words to get him back on track and motivated:

“Wow, you catch on fast!”
“Excellent—you did so well!”
“Very good! You are a quick learner!”
“I love to work with you.”
“Hey, you got that the first time!”
“You are doing great!”
“That was a tough one, and you got it!”
“Good for you!”
“You’re getting it!”
“Awesome job!”
“You remembered that from yesterday—great!”
“I can tell that you tried hard to figure that out.”
“Way to go!”
“Just last week you couldn’t have done that!”

When it comes to encouragement, we all love working with people who bring out the best in us. We enjoy being around those who lift us up and motivate us to reach higher. Your child is no different—and it’s possible that your encouragement can mean the difference between your child's success and failure. Encouragement matters!

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