As Parents we want the best for our children. Our opinion is that all parents respond to their children needs in different ways. A lot of children will do better at school, home and at occasions outside only if parents use the right tools.
Adults aren’t the only ones who need to get motivated. Doing well in school, staving off peer pressure, and confidently following one’s interests are just a few of the areas in which kids benefit with the help of motivation.
As their parent, you are in the best position to pass on these lessons. Parents are children’s biggest cheerleaders. So what should you teach them? The tips below are a great place to start.
1. School work
2. Back to school periods after a long or even short break
3. Sports or recreational activities
4. At clinic visits or medications
5. At shopping
6. At meal times……….. just to mention a few
In any way that your child tries to be on top motivate them whether your child is active or shy. There are times children want attention, parents have to know when they need just a little bit of attention, more than the usual and times when they need motivation and encouragement.
Tips parents could use:
1. Be Patient: Don’t get frustrated when your child doesn’t understand, otherwise he/she might begin to model that frustration and consequently, shut down to the material/concept
2. Don’t Give Up: If your child doesn’t understand, then find a new way to describe it
3. Help Understand Why: Many children do not wish to achieve because they do not understand why or how this will apply to life. Find ways to demonstrate the concept with context that is relative to them.
4. Make Learning Interesting and Fun: Your child’s curiosity will increase if the concept is interesting and fun. Perhaps use fun experiments to demonstrate science concepts or maybe re-enact a story from English class or create a game with math problems or take an imaginary journey through the world to show geographical concepts.
5. Ask Questions: Asking questions causes your child to think about the material and explain it, which can cause him/her to understand and remember the material better. Let the child teach you.
6. Create a Strong Relationship: It was found by Ellen Moss and Diane St-Laurent of Le Université du Québec à Montréal discovered that students with a stronger secure attachment had higher motivation and achievement in school.(2001)
Benefits of Motivation:
1. Helps children develop positive self esteem
2. Helps children excel at study or play
3. Helps children overcome fear for subjects or activities
4. Helps children with skill developments
5. Does it really matter whether children are primarily intrinsically or extrinsically oriented towards learning? A growing body of evidence suggests that it does. When intrinsically motivated, students tend to employ strategies that demand more effort and that enable them to process information more deeply. Students with an intrinsic orientation also tend to prefer tasks that are moderately challenging whereas extrinsically oriented students gravitate toward tasks that are low in degree of difficulty. Extrinsically oriented students are inclined to put forth the minimal amount of effort necessary to get the maximal reward. Although every educational activity cannot, and perhaps should not, be intrinsically motivating, findings suggest that when teachers can capitalize on existing intrinsic motivation, there are several potential benefits
It is important that rewards in material things aren’t always a tool to motivate or encourage children, words are the most powerful tool. Words make and break people, use positive words to get the best out of your children.
Spend time with them especially with homework, social or recreational activities.
Spend time talking to them daily, no matter the many silly stories they tell and as a parent you can’t totally understand, it gives them a sense of you being a part of their life. They will always tell you everything, their fears, struggles, pains, achievements, goals etc.
Remember parents; children who are motivated at home by parents, siblings or family always excel in school and later at life’s challenges. Encourage your child today and that of neighbors, friends and family.