6 Strategies to Maintain Your Child’s Motivation – Tutorial

Learning something new is always fun, but we often get bored once the newness of that thing is over. It happens with all of us. Just imagine from a child’s perspective how boring doing something can get because they have so many new and fascinating things to learn about and also because many of them have a short attention span. 

Many parents find it difficult to keep their children motivated. Well, it is not an easy task, but taking the wrong route to motivate your child or keep them interested in something that could work against you. Some children are self-motivated and some have to be convinced or motivated to get the job done. It could be as simple as just lifting their plates and putting it in the sink. Parents have to keep in mind that what may interest you or something you think your child should learn or do, does not necessarily mean that the child will find it interesting, too. Imagine someone forcing you to do something boring and not understanding why you aren’t motivated. Your children are going through the same process.

Lacking motivation does not, in any way, mean that the child cannot learn or understand or is not smart enough. The right kind of motivation can set the wheels in motion for you and your child. As a parent, all you have to do is look for the right ways to keep your child motivated. So, let’s look at what you can do.

Be Inspiring

The best way to get your child to do something is to tell them not to do it. It applies to most children. When you stop them from doing something, their curious minds want to do it and find out why they shouldn’t be doing it. Same applies to motivation. Stop motivating your child if you wish to motivate them and work on inspiring them. Be the person that your child would want to look up to. Trying to control them will make matters worse. Talk about your inspirations and how it has helped you in life. 

Don’t Get Anxious 

As parents, we tend to get anxious when we think our children are not motivated to learn or do something, and we tend to push our anxiety onto them to motivate them. By doing this, you will only end up demotivating them further or even worse, and they will try to resist you. Some children even comply to get their parents off their back. It is not the right route as then children will be focusing more on the methods to make you leave them alone. It is best to keep calm instead of starting a power struggle in the house.

Set Goals 

It is best to set goals to motivate your child. Set a short-term and a long-term goal, so that your child doesn’t have to work too hard to achieve them and at the same time, these goals shouldn’t be too easy to attain. Setting goals helps in motivating the child as there is something to accomplish at the end. It also helps children in focusing their attention on what they are doing as there are multiple goals to achieve. 

Focus on the Process, Not the Outcome  

As parents, you should emphasize the process and not the outcome. More than often, children do not achieve the set goals. If they feel that the outcome has made you unhappy, they will start finding ways or excuses to start with anything worrying about the outcome even before they have started. Not everything has a positive outcome. What matters is the process and every child should be appreciated for the efforts they put in, irrespective of the result.   

Encourage Your Kids 

The best way to keep your child motivated is to encourage them. Telling them that they are doing a good job or you believe in them or they can achieve their goals, is going to motivate them. Encouragement plays an important role in motivating children. If they feel that they are not being encouraged then they lose interest or get demotivated. 

Celebrate Accomplishments 

The feeling of being appreciated when you achieve a goal is something that everybody craves. Children are no different. They look for appreciation and acknowledgement more than adults. When your child manages to achieve a goal, appreciate them and tell them that you are proud of them. These few words will make them want to work harder towards achieving other goals.

Motivating a child is not rocket science. It is all about trying to step into their shoes and understand what they want from you. The best thing you can do for your children to keep them motivated is to get involved in the process, pay attention to what they are doing and appreciate them for what they are doing.