Thursday, January 11, 2007

Census Counts Praiseworthy Children?

According to the NYTimes the Census Bureau has determined that children's quality of life is on the rise. The press release is here.

What blew my mind, at least initially, was the idea that the government would ask how often parents praised children!

Now in my day [tell it, granddad] children weren't praised, at least not to their face. I can remember my parents bragging on me to others (like their siblings), but I don't remember daily praise at any time. I guess, despite evidence to the contrary, we may have advanced.

1 comment:

GreenmanTim said...

I remember encountering a proverb in southern Africa that translates in English: "Do not praise a man to his face, or he will go and lie down under a tree."