Overpraising is out! Backhanded compliments are in!

[MrsThierryHenry]

According to a guest on Woman's Hour last week, it's potentially harmful to overpraise your child, telling them everything they do is a work of genius, as apparently they can turn into self-obsessed little snotrags. She gave a delicious example of how to praise without elevating your offspring's ego beyond the moon and stars:

(I paraphrase)
'What a delightful picture, Tallulah, well done! You've worked very hard on that, and I can tell that you wanted to draw a very good princess...' - (under her breath: yeah, you wanted to...but it was shite!!)

Can you think of a good backhanded compliment for someone (young or old, famous or normal) who's worked ever so jolly hard and produced something really, really crap?

Pheebe your kids are in for one big shock in the real world

This thread started out really funny, love rolling the turd in glitter and the Pheebe got on a high horse.

Calm down love, it is actually funny. Children can cope with a little bit of constructive criticism from time to time. Not everything your little prince/princess does deserves gushing praise.

Custy's comment was tongue in cheek.

Sorry about the poor spelling, dashed it out befor I ducked for cover .

What a beautiful dress, so old fashioned, yet glamorous at the same time. Cant beat a good shit sandwich.

wishing you well pheebs

Good lord I've missed a ruck on my own thread! What was I thinking, stepping away from the computer?!

DS is just 2 and thriving, so we praise, praise, praise and then we're very firm about setting boundaries. I think the sensible thing is to just change your approach as they grown - but hey, isn't that the story of our lives?

Love the shit sandwich comment, that just about sums up the Tallulah e.g. on Woman's Hour. Loved and the Tony Blair one, too!

Here's my one for old GeorgieBoy (Lawd, love 'im!):

'Your two terms in office were a resounding success, Dubya; all your hard work guaranteed success for the Democrats!'

And for Gordy: 'You have a rare and special talent for giving with one hand and taking back with two.'

D'oh! "As they grow" (Hmmm, Mrs TH, you have a rare and special talent for creative grammar...)

Not aiming this at anyone in particular, but as someone said, it's not rocket science.
Don't overpraise, and don't put down. Simple. Why do we need "experts" to tell us how to do it?

Hear, hear, gateau - especially when those "experts" clearly have no expertise!