When it comes to our children we can all agree that we want them to do their best in school – right? Have you been struggling with an unmotivated child lately? If you have been looking for different ideas on how to motivate kids to do well in school, you are in the right place!
Keep reading to learn some tips to help you out.
Positive Relationship
An important part of helping your child stay motivated in school and in life is to be the most influential person in their life. A great way to be their biggest influence is by maintaining a positive relationship with them. You want a relationship that is respectful, positive, and open.
If you try the opposite which is threatening them, punishing them, and manipulating them to get what you want will backfire. It might seem to work at first but it will hurt your relationship with your child and will not help motivate them to do good in school.
Reacting out of emotions when your child is not doing good in school will be ineffective. They are more than likely not doing this on purpose, kids typically want to make their parents happy and proud.
Instead of getting angry and reacting remind yourself that your child is just not there yet and your job is to teach them how to be responsible when it comes to their responsibilities.
Positive Reinforcement
Kids do well when they have positive reinforcement. This does not mean buying them a ton of toys every time they do well in a quiz, exam, or report card. Kids also do well with social reinforcers.
This can be with high fives, hugs, praises, etc. Those social reinforcers feel good to them and they will continue to do well looking for those good feelings again.
You can also use simple experience reinforcements as well. For example, taking them out for ice cream, or buying their favorite candy bar and sharing it.
Reward Their Efforts
Sometimes we think that rewarding only the outcomes is best but kids do well when their efforts are noticed. When you reward their efforts you are sending out the message to them that you are respectful of their hard work.
When a child is still pushing through a difficult class, assignment, project, etc praise them for not giving up. Remind them of how strong they are for still following through on their duties even when things get difficult for them.
You can reward them gifts related to learning like a trip to a cultural museum if they’re into history or a microscope if they’re into science. These things would not only make them happy, but also improve their learning experience. Make sure before investing in such gifts you research the best way find them such as a search in Google for how to buy a microscope or “the best museums in my area”.
Mistakes Happen
No one is able to get perfect A’s or 100 on every exam and assignment. Let your kids make mistakes and instead of frowning upon them when they do not get that perfect A, remind them that mistakes happen. It’s healthy for them to learn from those mistakes and give them tips on how to not make that mistake next time. You can help them study from free test papers so that they’ll be ready next time for the real test when it comes around.
Stay in the Know
Make sure that you know what is going on at your child’s school. You want to make sure that you check their website to know all of the events, days off, testing dates, and even their school lunches.
When your child knows that you are aware of what is happening in their school they are more than likely going to be motivated to do well. Knowing things such as when the next fair or school dance is will mean more than you know. They will know that you care enough to be in the know even if you have a million other things going on.
Designated Study Spot
Having a place where your child goes every day to sit down and is made for them might help motivate them. Include them in the design of their study area. He/she might need a place that they call their own in order to concentrate and a place where you can come sit with them to help them with their assignments.
Offer your child help. Sometimes all they need is to know that you are there in case they need help or get stuck. This will help motivate them to complete an assignment even if they think it’s difficult.
Get Involved
Volunteer at your child’s school to show your child that you are interested in their education. Typically kids like to see their parents involved in school events or even like seeing them at their school.
Make sure that as your child gets older you pay attention to their cues. They might not want you around their school activities as much as before. If they seem uncomfortable with your presence then maybe it’s time to be more behind the scenes.
You want to reassure them that you are not there to spy on them but instead, you are there to help out the school community. Maybe something like a summer math camp is perfect to give them a sense of independence as they get older.
Now You Know How to Motivate Kids When It Pertains to School
Hopefully, you now feel confident about how to motivate kids to do well in school. You as their parent want them to feel confident in their ability to perform well and bring home good grades. The tips above are a great starting point to help you with keeping them motivated.
Do not forget that only you know what is best for your child. Use what you know will work best and make sure that you build that strong relationship so that you will have their respect and attention for years to come.
Did you find this article helpful? Come back soon for more great tips!