Praise is important. A child seeks recognition for an achievement and their self-image depends heavily on their parents' assessment. However, it is important not to overdo the praise, otherwise the child's self-esteem will be weakened.

When a child draws a picture, as a parent you feel obliged to praise the picture because you want to build up the child's self-confidence. This is all well and good, but excessive praise can have a detrimental effect on the child's self-esteem. 

The worse the child's picture is or the more insecure the child is when shown the picture, the more parents tend to praise it excessively. Instead of saying "that's a beautiful picture", they say "that's the most beautiful picture I've ever seen". 

Studies show that such excessive praise can affect a child's self-confidence. Children seem to instinctively sense that their parents are exaggerating in order to cover up the poor quality of their picture.

The motto for parents and carers is: less is more. Simple praise makes the children feel good and boosts their self-confidence; excessive praise backfires.