Motivating Children
Children need to be motivated to do well in both school and in life. They need to know that you’re there by their side every step of the way. Find creative ways to motivate your children to do well in school. If they have the right kind of motivation, they will do well and enjoy it too. It’s not about punishment for getting bad grades, it’s about figuring out how you can help them if they do. You’re their parent and they need your support and motivation whether you like it or not.
Motivation with Stuff
School can become incredibly overwhelming for children, especially if they feel like they are not as popular or even as prepared as the other kids. While you can’t increase their popularity, you can help their preparedness. Motivate your kids to enjoy school more by giving them new school supplies throughout the year. It’s always exciting as a child when you get cool new backpacks, art supplies or even a cool new lunchbox. Often times you can get these on sale throughout the year.
Motivation with Rewards
Rewards are also a great way to motivate kids to do well in school. Offer rewards like a new toy, money or even a night out for a movie and ice cream. You can set up different levels of rewards, like a night out for straight A’s, $10 for honor roll, etc. Find creative ways to reward your child for doing well on assignments, tests and in the class overall.
Motivation with Support
Ultimately, more than the supplies and more than the rewards, children need to feel your support. This isn’t only true during the grade school years. They will need you to support them throughout their college years and adult life as well. Starting a pattern of support now will help you forge a lasting relationship with your child. If they get a bad grade on their test, tell them it’s not acceptable, but immediately ask how you can help them in the future. Be there for them the best you can, and they will feel motivated by your love throughout their life.
Motivating your children also teaches them how to motivate themselves. If your only method of motivation is scaring them with a punishment and negative feedback, then they will have a negative self image that will carry over into their adult life. But by enforcing motivation through rewards and helping them if they’re wrong, then you are establishing a healthy self-image for your child at a young age.
*This post about Motivating Children is a guest post by Becky W.
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