Ms. Skenazy: All I can say is "Hear, hear!" This sort of self-esteem nonsense has been going on since the touchy-feely '70s. It's a classic case of reasoning backwards, from effect to cause. Inflating a child's self-worth (or an adult's, for that matter) with meaningless praise won't make them perform better. It's the other way around: Your achievements, the things you do to improve yourself or to improve the lives of others, are what make you feel good about yourself. Even small children can understand that self-esteem isn't taught; it's earned.