A few months ago I read the new parenting book, "Nurture Shock" (author's name doesn't immediately come to mind), and like all parenting books there are some good gems you find. One of the topics in the book is how to keep kids motivated to try hard. The author thinks that one of the worst things for a kid is for everyone to call him/her "smart", because there is a risk of the child not trying when something doesn't come easy for them. This holds them back from tackling challenging work down the road.
My DS5 is often told he is smart and he likes to think he is smart! I try to tell him at night before he goes to bed that trying hard is more important than being smart. When he works hard at something I praise his effort more than the outcome. I don't know if it works but it seems to keep him motivated to try new things, especially outside of academics, like throwing a football or hitting a baseball.
The other day a neighbor boy was over and they were playing a game that my son was better at because he plays it a lot. When the friend became frustrated I heard my son say to him that he was doing well because he was trying. V. sweet. Just my thoughts.
