This run was enjoyable. Probably because the temps were a bit lower (mid 70s) and it wasn't as humid. I always have good runs when I am ruminating about something. I read this article that I wish I would have read a long time ago (although maybe it wouldn't have had as much impact on me earlier). In case you're interested, here's a link: http://archive.aft.org/pubs-reports/american_educator/spring99/PraiseSpring99.pdf For a short version, what this article shows is that praise can be a dangerous thing. These researchers took 3 groups of kids and gave each of them a challenging, but doable task. Afterward, they praised the kids in the first group for their intelligence. They praised the second group for their hard work. They praised the third group generally. Then they gave the groups a more challenging task, one that they weren't as successful with. The first group--the "intelligent" ones--HATED the task. The second group--the "hard working" ones--wanted to take the work home they enjoyed the challenge so much. But the groups performed equally not-so-well. Why am I so impacted by this? I realize that we have been misguided with our oldest son. He has ALWAYS been praised as smart by everyone, from the time he was 2. He has always picked up things rather quickly, and of course, as parents we have been proud of everyone thinking he was so smart. We don't really praise him solely for his smarts, but we don't discourage others from doing it. The result? He, even at 5 1/2, gets so frustrated when tasks are challenging. I notice it with reading: as long as the words are easy, he is okay. But throw at him a long word, and his first words are "I give up." We discourage that, always, regardless of the activity--because it happens with other things too--but now I understand more why he is like that. The solution? This is going to be the summer of praising him for what matters: hard work. I think it will make a remarkable difference in his confidence when he goes to kindergarten. And my SIL had her surgery today: double masectomy. She got through it well.
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