A drawing offered proudly deserves a look before an assessment.

When something is held out to you, the first thing wanted is attention, not a verdict. A child showing a drawing is offering a moment of themselves, and a quick judgment, even a kind one, skips the part that mattered. Looking properly for ten seconds does more than any compliment, because it answers the actual question being asked, which is whether you will bother.

Take the thing in your hands. Say what you see rather than how good it is: the colour of the sky, the dog with six legs, the person in the corner. Assessment can come later, or not at all.