Celebration Rewires the Negativity Bias—Why Small Wins Must Be Noticed and Reinforced

The human brain is wired to remember negatives—missed homework, forgotten chores, harsh words—far more than positives. For children with ADHD, who often receive frequent corrections, this 'negativity bias' is even more entrenched. Without intentional effort, praise and genuine encouragement fade to background static.

That’s why celebrating small wins matters. When parents or teachers take a moment to acknowledge—clearly and quickly—what’s gone right (“You got ready for bed after only two reminders”), they can literally help shift memory pathways. When a child repeats back that praise, it sticks better. Over weeks and months, consistent celebration of even mundane successes builds a child’s working memory for good news, bolsters self-esteem, and gradually counteracts years of feeling like a failure.

Research in positive psychology finds that it takes roughly three positive experiences to outweigh one negative for emotional health. Specific, immediate praise is a simple, brain-friendly technique to help children—and adults—rewrite old stories of defeat into growing libraries of personal success.

Train your eye to spot small acts of effort or improvement and name them right away—out loud, with clear detail. When you give feedback, ask your child to say it back, letting those encouraging words land and stick in their memory. Make it a game, aiming for a three-to-one ratio of positive to negative comments each day. Over time, you’ll both notice a stir of growing confidence and a new type of energy at home. Try it after dinner tonight and see what happens.