I firmly believe that telling people the good they're doing is just as important as correcting the other stuff. Last night at dinner is an excellent example. My kids drove me nuts. They weren't horrible, but there was definite room for improvement. I let them know how disappointed I was. I spelled out the behaviors that were inappropriate. Then, I spelled out the good behaviors as well. I pointed out what they did right. For Monster, that made all the difference. He went from being defensive to actually thinking about his negative behavior and being sorry for it and coming up with ways to improve next time. Sunshine, well, either she's stubborn, too young, or both, because she just didn't care. We'll work on that.
It can wear on person when all you hear is negative feedback or people telling you what to do. Maybe it's the Early Education background that makes me believe in positive reinforcement, but it works, and not just with little children. We all have our insecurities and it's nice to know that we are appreciated and are doing something right. So today, make it your mission to tell one person you appreciate them and they are doing a good job. Believe me, it will not only brighten their day, but yours as well.