5 Ways To Motivate Your Child

Motivation is what drives a person to do something, act in a particular way, or repeat a specific behavior. Motivation can be intrinsic or self-driven, and extrinsic. Know your child and understand who he is as an individual. Look at your child as a person with likes, tastes, and preferences. Find out what the child is interested in if there is any field or subject that he or she has a special interest in.

When you like something, you want it. And when you want it, you are likely to make an effort to get that. The same applies to your child. When you know your child, and what they want, you will know how to motivate them.

* Set goals

The simplest way to motivate a child to do something is to set goals for them. Goals give the child a purpose and direction, which make completing a task easy. Goals can be as simple as sleeping on time to wake up early and be on time for the class picnic or completing homework to go and play. They could also be long-term goals about career or relationships, which would be ideal when you are dealing with older kids and teens.

* Rewards

Rewards are perhaps the most common way to motivate someone. For a child, something as simple as TV time, ice cream, cake, or a toy could be a reward. But as mentioned above, those are tangible rewards and are similar to bribes. So when these rewards stop, the desired behavior also stops. These rewards may work in some situations, but they won’t aid in building character or instilling values.

* Explain why

An important part of the meaningful conversations you have with your child would include talking about why it is sensible to do some things and not do other things. Kids are curious as cats and are more than eager to be a part of a conversation that answers their questions. And, all you need are straightforward answers to their questions.

* Inspire

No matter how much you say or explain, children will notice what you do as inspiration to do something or not do something. Lead by example and be an inspiration to motivate your child to do something. The logic is simple: if you want them to be good, to do well at school, be responsible, stay positive, or be respectful of other people, you need to show them how.

* Encourage

Your child may not always be successful in what he does, and failure can be demotivating. Encouragement can help the child become persistent and continue trying his best in spite of failing once or more. Encouragement is a form of positive reinforcement and recognizes the child’s efforts and progress.