Recognizing positive behavior not only makes parents and children feel good, it motivates them to repeat that behavior in the future. At each visit, try and find one specific thing to notice and affirm! Could it be how well a child answered your questions? How well a parent comforted their child in distress? A child’s emerging language skills or a parent using parentese? By doing this for parents and children, you can model how parents can use affirmations to increase positive behaviors at home and continue to build a positive relationship with families.