This parenting gig is many things. Challenging.  Tiring. Joyful.  Fun. Different every day.

One thing that it is not, is a thankful journey.  Not while the munchkins are little and medium-sized anyway.

Even when you have good kids, with good manners and good behaviour, there isn’t always a lot of positive feedback sent your way. As parents we don’t get report cards, we don’t get performance evaluations and 360 peer reviews.  Probably just as well with the way my boys sometimes rate my cooking (yes I do have disasters!), and they definitely see me at my very worst.

Those moments of real, sincere praise that come our way are the things we remember and hold onto.  Right?  It may have come your way in the form of a special letter or note from a school staff member, or a comment from a friend who acted on a thought.

When I’ve been on the receiving end of such encouragement, some kind of validation that there may be something my husband and I are actually getting right, it has meant tonnes! So if I know what a boost that has done to me and mine, then why o why don’t I make more of an effort to give sincere and specific praise to other parents?

It’s a simple thing.  It doesn’t have to be patronizing – in fact it better not be – and social media makes it extremely easy to do so.

This isn’t a new year’s resolution, but simply what could be a way of life….to see the positives more, and to be your friends’ biggest fan.  That’s a gift, that is – and the best part of it – it costs us nothing, but means so very much.