Considerable social science research has found that constant praise of children can backfire, because it so often consists of telling children how smart they are, not of praising children for the things they actually do. As a result, many children become protective of their image of being smart and are reluctant to take chances that might actually damage that image.
Charles Murray, Coming Apart: The State of White America, 1960-2010
humility, maturation, parenting, pride