Amor verbalizes and confirms everything son-rise teaches me:

Children are always motivated when praised. This motivation can be used to encourage good behavior (some therapies/parenting techniques work the other way, they focus on diminishing what they consider “bad” behavior and don’t put enough focus in good behavior)

Amor was asking Papa to help her draw a bus. At the start I was praising her for asking so nicely. Amor, having sensory issues, is irritable a lot of times and can easily be mistaken as brat.

Anyway, I praised her 3 times in a row and she smiled back as me as she continued to ask Papa for help ever so nicely. “Help” of course is more to get Papa’s attention than actual help.

After a while, Amor noticed that I wasn’t paying attention despite the fact that she was still being her sweetest and still asking so nicely. Finally she said, “Mama, look I’m asking nicely. Can you say: Thank you for asking nicely?”

So praise all the good deeds you child does, big or small. It motivates them do better all the time.