Improvise. Adapt. Overcome.
My Dad used to say these words to me and my brother when we were growing up. It wasn't until years later that I discovered it was the slogan for the Marines. I wasn't surprised. I was surprised to learn that not everyone finds this type of encouragement, well, encouraging.
People are complex. For one person, gentle words of affirmation and compliments will be motivating. For another person this same approach will be patronizing even insulting. On the flip side where some people love and even crave a direct challenge, others will find this approach demoralizing and overwhelming.
Why?
I'm interested in why people are so differently motivated but also in clues that would help identify these different personally preferences before blunders are made.
It might be enough to remind myself and others that people ARE differently encouraged, so that guy yelling at you that you do better or that lady pouring verbal syrup on you, might just be trying to encourage you.
....and you have one of each of these types as parents.
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