Psychological
What if praising kids does the opposite of what you think?
A kid draws a picture. You say "Good job!" They beam. Everyone's happy. But Kohn asks a uncomfortable question: what did the child just learn? Not that drawing is fun. They learned that drawing gets approval. And that's a very different lesson.
The problem with praise is not that it's too positive. It's that it's too controlling.— Alfie Kohn
The full breakdown — the context, the shift, and a question to sit with — opens in the Insights app.
The thinker
Author & Education Critic
Alfie Kohn is an American author and lecturer known for his critical analysis of traditional parenting, education, and competition. His book Unconditional Parenting challenged mainstream reward-based approaches to raising children.
Based on Alfie Kohn — Unconditional Parenting, summarised and reframed by Insights.
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