As a child, I have always felt self-motivated. Nobody had to ask me to study, do homework, participate in the quizzes, or debate competitions. To not sound boastful, I always did things that I needed to do without being reminded about them repeatedly. I set my goals and did everything I should, to achieve them. If I reflect on that now, I believe I did what I did because my parents were mostly uninvolved.
That is one side of the story. Many of you may be self-motivated or have one self-motivated child, while the other does not care enough. Well, the children who are a little less motivated will maybe need nothing more than just a slight push. However, there will also be kids who need a lot of prodding. Now, if you are thinking about motivating your child, you are in the right place.
Many parents we know follow a similar approach – They reward the child anytime they do something great and make them pay for any step in the wrong direction. Well, is this the correct approach? Honestly, not so much. In reality, the best approach that you need to follow is to be easy on punishments and the rewards. You do not have to make your child materialistic. You have to instead internally motivate your child to want to get better or stay good, regardless. Here, we have come up with ten things that you can do to encourage your child.
Goal setting
As a parent, you need to take a conscious step to help your child set goals, points out Anaida, who works with FineGrades. The child needs to have both short-term and long-term goals. However, these goals should be attainable and achievable, but that does not mean that there should be no effort to achieve these goals. However, you need to be alert at all times, ensure that your child has set the right goals, and is continually working towards achieving them every day.
Have a plan
Now, the goals are set, but how do you achieve them? Well, you need a plan. It would help if you drafted a strategy for your child to materialize these goals. If needed, help them achieve these goals. You can set up a step-by-step plan and give them every help or motivation they need from you to achieve these goals.
Celebrate all accomplishments
Anytime the child achieves any goals, you have to let them know how proud you are. It would be best if you celebrated their success with them. Reward the child in a manner that seems fit to you. But do not overdo it. Jessica, a TrumpLearning associate, shares her experience, stating that my child was eyeing a tablet that would make it easier for him to watch his online classes, and when we scored an A in the test, she rewarded him with it. Regardless, there is no bigger reward than the feeling of accomplishment in itself.
Make it competitive
It is okay to indulge your child in a competition but make sure it is a healthy competition, and there is no pressure or force involved. Of course, you have to cheer your child while participating in the race or competing in a spelling competition. However, these competitions have to be about strength and positivity concerning the child. You do not have to make them about the child’s weakness and negativity.
Encourage your child
As a parent, you need to believe in your child, suggests Sofia, who works with EduWorldUSA. Yes, for a child, the biggest motivation is that their parent believes in them. Overcome any fears or self-doubt that you may possibly have, and keep them motivated.
Take an interest in their life
As a parent, you should be aware of your child’s interests and what he aspires to do. Please talk with your child about the things they like and be attentive while they speak. It is a great way to make your child feel that you care for them, and they are free to talk to you about their hobbies and interests.
Discover their passion
Ask them what it is that they love or are genuinely passionate about. At times, it may take you a few tries along the road, but you need to support your child on this journey towards passion. Let them work towards it, and be encouraging throughout. However, at times, kids are not even aware of the things they may be passionate about. In this case, you need to be observant and tell them to keep looking for their driving force till they are 100% sure what it is that keeps them high-spirited.
Stay positive
Parents always need to have an optimistic and positive outlook towards their children, recommends Natasha, an associate with EssayWriter4U and a parent of two little girls. Anytime your child notices even a bit of doubt or fear in your eyes, they will probably lose their confidence. When you have a positive approach, you brighten their outlook towards everything.
Peer pressure
It may sound strange, but peer pressure (occasionally) is not the worst thing. It does help push your child to do better in sports or school. However, do not let this stress them too much.
Excite them
Please keep your child excited about their ambitions and goals. Let them know that you are excited about them. This positive energy from you will motivate them to stay focused.