Any of you harboring a child perfectionist? We're having some issues. Basically, if Connery isn't immediately good at something, he wants to give up. This manifested itself in his refusing to go up the ski hill over the weekend because he didn't immediately cotton on to the pizza-wedge stopping technique, but that's far from the first time. I can't count the number of times he's told me that he's "not good at something" simply because he couldn't do it the first time he tried.
Obviously, this is a problem. How to solve it is less clear (as is the ever-present question of whether it's something that Chip and I have somehow done to him). My mom had a good suggestion about trying to find some books that emphasize the age-old virtues of practice making perfect or similar. Anyone know a good one?
I keep hearing that children who are praised for being persistent and hardworking actually end up doing better than those who are praised for innate abilities. I've been trying to do that, but it feels really forced--kind of like the "Good try!!!" language endemic in kids' sports. I hated it when I was hearing it as a kid, so that's probably why I have a hard time saying it. (Gee, I wonder where Connery could have gotten his perfectionism. It's unclear.)
Mainly what I hate is seeing him get frustrated so easily and so completely that he is immobilized. If any of you have ideas about the issue, I'd love to hear them. Or if you have a little perfectionist at home and just want to commiserate, hey, I'm into that, too.
