When other people begin to praise your kids for some talent or achievement, join the celebration (in fact, you should lead it!), but keep gently encouraging them to lead a well- rounded life.

Discourage them from focusing solely on the one area where they excel. Show them that they're valuable for the totality of who they are, and not just for their ability in one area.

3. Show that you're not enamoured with celebrity trappings.

One of the reasons people love to follow the celebrity scene is that it seems to represent an ideal. Human beings are by nature aspirational; we long to be better than we are.

The trappings of celebrity, like money, status and recognition, may seem attractive but they don't represent the highest goal in life. There are higher things to reach for. Christ said that we find our true selves and live to the full only when we're willing to put service of God and other people ahead of our own interests - without losing respect for our own God-given qualities.

Last week, I watched a TV interview where a former child star was asked how she'd managed to stay so well-balanced, in spite of her fame. She said, "My mother always kept me busy, and she didn't fall in love with the fruits of my fame."

Many parents send out the wrong signals about what's valuable in life and their kids gradually learn to aspire to the same things. If you're in love with money, or status, or power, don't be surprised if your kids copy young celebrities who have money, status and power in abundance.

4. Give as much encouragement as you can, as often as you can.

"Feedback is the breakfast of champions," said a wise person. Actually, I think feedback positive feedback is the breakfast, lunch and dinner of champions!

I don't know about you, but I thrive on encouragement; I just don't seem to be able to get enough of it. The more I taste it, the more my appetite grows. I've never tried anything really daring when I'm feeling discouraged or sad. I've only ever reached for the skies when somebody has told me I can!

When I was younger, I received some good encouragement, but it was often mixed with less complimentary statements that were designed to keep me humble. None of us wants to produce children who are big-headed or arrogant, but mixing sincere compliments with put-downs is confusing for our kids.

Besides, if you believe in the biblical God, you'll know that even he is slow to humble people: the Christian scriptures teach clearly that he would rather we learn to humble ourselves!

It's not my job to humble other people (as much as I might feel tempted to do so at times). It's not even my job to keep my own children humble. My role is to encourage them, by my example, to keep their feet on the ground, respecting God and other people as well as themselves.

5. Try to steer your kids away from celebrity tittle-tattle.