Question About Praise

Question

I’m at my wits end with my 13-year-old girl. We have been following Positive Discipline for about 2 years now and it’s changed so much in our house with how we act and speak to our girls, our other daughter is 9.

This last month we are having a problem with the “Praise” word with our 13 year old. She’s very clever at school and gets amazing grades; she loves school! So the last few tests she’s had she’s come home and told us the results and my husband and I have both said to her “Wow, amazing results Zara! You must be so proud and you clearly did the hard work and it’s paid off!”

She floored us when she replied, “Why can’t you just say you’re so proud of me, like all the other normal parents??!”

We tried to explain that we’re trying to raise her into the best possible adult that she can be, and that we’ve changed our parenting actions and the words we use over the last few years for the better.