{"id":21357,"date":"2026-09-07T15:05:29","date_gmt":"2026-09-07T15:05:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/?p=21357"},"modified":"2026-09-07T15:05:29","modified_gmt":"2026-09-07T15:05:29","slug":"psychology-says-parents-who-put-their-kids-medals-and-drawings-on-the-fridge-may-be-saying-more-than-were-proud","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/?p=21357","title":{"rendered":"Psychology says parents who put their kids\u2019 medals and drawings on the fridge may be saying more than &#8220;we&#8217;re proud\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"e9jwa\">\n<div class=\"vdo_embedd\">\n<div class=\"GfdvZ\">\n<section class=\"_bIDB  clearfix id-r-component leadmedia undefined undefined  E9tg9 \" style=\"top:0px\">\n<div class=\"_bIDB\" data-ua-type=\"1\" onclick=\"stpPgtnAndPrvntDefault(event)\">\n<div class=\"ypVvZ\">\n<div class=\"WGttI\"><img src=\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/thumb\/msid-133883354,imgsize-142262,width-400,height-225,resizemode-4\/parents-who-put-their-kids-medals-and-drawings-on-the-fridge-may-be-saying-more-than-were-proud-image-credits-gemini.jpg\" alt=\"Psychology says parents who put their kids\u2019 medals and drawings on the fridge may be saying more than &quot;we're proud\u201d\" decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Walk into a family kitchen, and you may find the refrigerator covered with colourful drawings, school certificates, photographs, tiny craft projects, or a child\u2019s first medal.<!-- --> To some, it may look like a simple parenting habit. To others, it may seem like parents showing off their child\u2019s achievements. But psychology suggests there can be much more behind this small everyday gesture. When parents put a child\u2019s work somewhere everyone can see it, they are not only decorating the kitchen. They may be showing the child that their effort has been noticed and that what they create has value. The meaning, however, depends largely on what parents choose to celebrate: the child\u2019s natural talent or the effort that went into the achievement.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"5\"\/><\/p>\n<p><h3>It can tell a child, &#8220;What you did matters\u201d<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"7\"\/><\/p>\n<div class=\"lY6ke\">\n<div class=\"Yl6Us\">\n<p>28 Jul 2026 | 16:22<\/p>\n<h2>How do you teach children about money and financial responsibility?<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Children learn how to see themselves partly through the reactions they receive from the adults around them. A drawing that looks ordinary to an adult may represent hours of imagination and effort for a child. So, when a parent puts that drawing on the refrigerator instead of putting it away in a drawer, the child receives a simple but powerful message: \u201cWe saw this, and it matters to us.\u201d This connects with self-determination theory, developed by psychologists Edward Deci and Richard Ryan. The theory identifies three basic psychological needs: competence, autonomy, and relatedness.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"12\"\/>Competence is the feeling that you are capable and can do things well. Relatedness is the feeling of being valued and connected to others. A child seeing their painting, certificate, or medal displayed at home may experience both. It can make them feel capable while also reminding them that their family cares about what they do. <!-- -->That does not mean putting a drawing on the fridge automatically creates confidence or a \u201cgrowth mindset.<!-- -->&#8221; Psychology does not support such a simple cause-and-effect conclusion. But visible recognition can become one small part of a supportive family environment.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"17\"\/><\/p>\n<p><h3>The praise behind the picture may matter more than the picture<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"19\"\/><\/p>\n<div data-pos=\"0\" class=\"id-r-component iIpbx undefined  &#10;        \">\n<div><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"The praise behind the picture may matter more than the picture&lt;br&gt;\" msid=\"133883394\" imgsize=\"116257\" resizemode=\"4\" width=\"\" title=\"\" placeholdersrc=\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/photo\/83033472.cms\" offsetvertical=\"0\" placeholdermsid=\"47529300\" type=\"thumb\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/photo\/imgsize-116257,msid-133883394\/the-praise-behind-the-picture-may-matter-more-than-the-picturebr.jpg\" data-api-prerender=\"true\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"21\"\/>Imagine two children bringing home medals. One parent says, \u201cYou are naturally brilliant. You are the smartest child here.\u201d Another says, \u201cYou worked so hard for this. <!-- -->I saw how much you practised.\u201d Both parents are proud. But the messages are different. Research involving psychologist Carol Dweck and colleagues has examined how different forms of praise can influence children&#8217;s beliefs about ability. Praise that focuses on effort, strategies, and the process of learning can be associated with a more incremental view of ability, the belief that skills can develop.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"25\"\/>That is why the words surrounding a refrigerator display may matter as much as the display itself. <!-- -->A painting pinned to the fridge does not have to mean, \u201cMy child is the best artist.\u201d It can mean, \u201cMy child tried something and created something, and I am proud of that effort.\u201d This distinction becomes especially important when children face failure. If they believe their worth comes only from being talented or winning, setbacks can feel threatening.<!-- --> If they understand that practice and learning matter, failure can become easier to handle.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"31\"\/><\/p>\n<p><h3>Your refrigerator can become a <keyword id=\"39060530\" type=\"Denny\" weightage=\"20\" keywordseo=\"family-memory-board\" source=\"keywords\">family memory board<\/keyword><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"33\"\/><\/p>\n<div data-pos=\"0\" class=\"id-r-component iIpbx undefined  &#10;        \">\n<div><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Your refrigerator can become a family memory board.&lt;br&gt;\" msid=\"133883410\" imgsize=\"148724\" resizemode=\"4\" width=\"\" title=\"\" placeholdersrc=\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/photo\/83033472.cms\" offsetvertical=\"0\" placeholdermsid=\"47529300\" type=\"thumb\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/photo\/imgsize-148724,msid-133883410\/your-refrigerator-can-become-a-family-memory-board-br.jpg\" data-api-prerender=\"true\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"35\"\/>There is another reason parents may keep children&#8217;s achievements in such visible places: memories. A child&#8217;s first drawing, first football medal, or school certificate is often connected to a specific moment in family life. Years later, that slightly messy painting may remind a parent of when their child was five years old and loved drawing animals. The refrigerator therefore becomes more than an appliance. It can become a small family memory board.<!-- --> Because people pass through the kitchen repeatedly, these objects remain part of everyday life. Family members see them while making breakfast, having dinner, or simply walking past. For the child, this repeated visibility can also create a sense of belonging: \u201cMy achievements are part of our family story.\u201d For parents, it can be equally emotional. The display may quietly say, \u201cI remember this moment. I was there. <!-- -->I saw you grow.\u201d<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"41\"\/><\/p>\n<p><h3>The medal can motivate, but there is a fine line<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"43\"\/>Psychology also offers another way to understand the habit through positive reinforcement. When children receive attention, encouragement, or recognition after putting effort into something, that positive response can encourage them to continue engaging with similar activities. A child who practices for a race, works on a painting, or learns a musical instrument may feel encouraged when parents recognise that effort.<!-- --> But there is an important difference between celebrating effort and making achievement the condition for love.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"47\"\/>If a child constantly hears, \u201cWe are proud of you because you win,\u201d they may begin to connect their self-worth with success. But if the message is, \u201cWe are proud of how much you worked, how much you learned, and how you kept trying,\u201d the focus shifts towards persistence and growth. The refrigerator itself is not what creates this difference. <!-- -->The parenting environment around it does.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"51\"\/><\/p>\n<p><h3>Sometimes parents are celebrating their own joy too<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"53\"\/><\/p>\n<div data-pos=\"0\" class=\"id-r-component iIpbx undefined  &#10;        \">\n<div><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Sometimes parents are celebrating their own joy too&lt;br&gt;\" msid=\"133883450\" imgsize=\"120718\" resizemode=\"4\" width=\"\" title=\"\" placeholdersrc=\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/photo\/83033472.cms\" offsetvertical=\"0\" placeholdermsid=\"47529300\" type=\"thumb\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/photo\/imgsize-120718,msid-133883450\/sometimes-parents-are-celebrating-their-own-joy-toobr.jpg\" data-api-prerender=\"true\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"55\"\/>Parents can also have an emotional reason for displaying their children&#8217;s achievements. A child&#8217;s success can make parents feel proud, happy, and emotionally connected to their journey. A wall covered with drawings or a fridge covered with medals may reflect the parent&#8217;s own memories and emotions as much as the child&#8217;s accomplishments. That does not automatically mean they are competitive or trying to show off.<!-- --> For many families, it is simply affection made visible.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"60\"\/>The deeper psychology, then, is not really about the refrigerator. It is about the message behind what is displayed. A medal can say, \u201cYou won.\u201d A drawing can say, \u201cYou are talented.\u201d But when parents also recognise the effort behind them, the message can become something deeper: \u201cWe see you. We value what you do. And we are proud to watch you grow.\u201d<\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/timesofindia.indiatimes.com\/life-style\/parenting\/moments\/psychology-says-parents-who-put-their-kids-medals-and-drawings-on-the-fridge-may-be-saying-more-than-were-proud\/articleshow\/133883275.cms\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Walk into a family kitchen, and you may find the refrigerator covered with colourful drawings, school certificates, photographs, tiny craft projects, or a child\u2019s first medal. To some, it may look like a simple parenting habit. To others, it may seem like parents showing off their child\u2019s achievements. But psychology suggests there can be much [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":21358,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-21357","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-31"],"magazineBlocksPostFeaturedMedia":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/parents-who-put-their-kids-medals-and-drawings-on-the-fridge-may-be-saying-more-than-were-proud-imag-150x150.avif","medium":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/parents-who-put-their-kids-medals-and-drawings-on-the-fridge-may-be-saying-more-than-were-proud-imag-300x169.avif","medium_large":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/parents-who-put-their-kids-medals-and-drawings-on-the-fridge-may-be-saying-more-than-were-proud-imag.avif","large":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/parents-who-put-their-kids-medals-and-drawings-on-the-fridge-may-be-saying-more-than-were-proud-imag.avif","1536x1536":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/parents-who-put-their-kids-medals-and-drawings-on-the-fridge-may-be-saying-more-than-were-proud-imag.avif","2048x2048":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/parents-who-put-their-kids-medals-and-drawings-on-the-fridge-may-be-saying-more-than-were-proud-imag.avif","blogsy-small":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/parents-who-put-their-kids-medals-and-drawings-on-the-fridge-may-be-saying-more-than-were-proud-imag.avif","blogsy-small-tall":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/parents-who-put-their-kids-medals-and-drawings-on-the-fridge-may-be-saying-more-than-were-proud-imag.avif","blogsy-small-square":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/parents-who-put-their-kids-medals-and-drawings-on-the-fridge-may-be-saying-more-than-were-proud-imag.avif","blogsy-small-masonry":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/parents-who-put-their-kids-medals-and-drawings-on-the-fridge-may-be-saying-more-than-were-proud-imag.avif","blogsy-medium":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/parents-who-put-their-kids-medals-and-drawings-on-the-fridge-may-be-saying-more-than-were-proud-imag.avif","blogsy-medium-masonry":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/parents-who-put-their-kids-medals-and-drawings-on-the-fridge-may-be-saying-more-than-were-proud-imag.avif","blogsy-large":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/parents-who-put-their-kids-medals-and-drawings-on-the-fridge-may-be-saying-more-than-were-proud-imag.avif","blogsy-wide":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/parents-who-put-their-kids-medals-and-drawings-on-the-fridge-may-be-saying-more-than-were-proud-imag.avif"},"magazineBlocksPostAuthor":{"name":"admin","avatar":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8709732a479614e7a8aa24d3eb1b239f30dc6d90c61464ed495001e7a469d856?s=96&d=mm&r=g"},"magazineBlocksPostCommentsNumber":"0","magazineBlocksPostExcerpt":"Walk into a family kitchen, and you may find the refrigerator covered with colourful drawings, school certificates, photographs, tiny craft projects, or a child\u2019s first medal. To some, it may look like a simple parenting habit. To others, it may seem like parents showing off their child\u2019s achievements. 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