When I was growing up, celebrations were reserved for big achievements. I make sure to acknowledge my sons' smaller wins, as well.

The author takes her sons to dinner to celebrate the little wins. They also watch movies, do Starbucks runs, and more.

Courtesy of Kristina Wright

Growing up, celebrations in my family were basically reserved for birthdays and Christmas. We didn't really celebrate academic achievements or traditional milestones. Those things were simply viewed as expectations, not necessarily accomplishments that earned recognition.Now that I'm parenting teenagers, I've found myself intentionally doing the opposite — celebrating the small wins along the way to the bigger goals.I don't want to let all these little moments slip awayDuring these busy years, when everything seems to be building toward graduation and whatever comes next, those little "yay" moments can come and go in the blink of an eye. Instead of letting them pass by, I try to make sure we acknowledge the work behind the success, whether it's straight As — or even As and Bs after a particularly difficult semester; getting a learner's permit; receiving an honor society invitation; surviving a brutal AP exam; making it through a stressful week of midterms; or simply sticking with something that required persistence and effort.These celebrations aren't elaborate or expensive. Sometimes it's as simple as saying, "Want to get Starbucks on the way home?" Other times it's, "We're going out tonight — your choice." It might mean surprising them with a favorite treat or a movie after a hard week, or even doing one of their chores so they can take a break. The reward itself isn't the point. It's the message behind it: I see how hard you're working, and I'm proud of you.Part of the reason I've become so intentional about this is because I vividly remember what it felt like to be a teenager. High school could be overwhelming. There were so many moving pieces — grades, friendships, extracurriculars, family expectations, and the constant pressure to figure out who you were becoming. Even when something good happened, it could get buried beneath everything else that felt uncertain or wasn't going right.