As parents, it’s safe to say that the vast majority of us want nothing more than for our kids to succeed in this life. While there are several ways to help your child to flourish and grow into their best selves, it’s important to figure out what motivates them toward their goals.
As parents, we are our kid’s biggest supporters. You may assume that they know you are rooting for them, but it’s very important that you actively participate in helping your child to succeed. Regardless of whether it’s school, sports, hobbies, or other, bigger goals-motivation is the key to success. While some kids are self-motivated, others might be less so and need more of a push. Even if your child is self-motivated, it’s still a good idea to be there supporting them the whole way.
Here are 9 ways to motivate your children.
1. Set goals.
Help motivate your child by getting them excited about goals. For example, they may be starting a new hobby of learning how to play piano. As they move through their learning, set small goals that challenge them and help them figure out how to obtain them.
2. Celebrate accomplishments.
When they achieve what they set out to accomplish, celebrate it. You don’t have to go all out, but make sure they feel special and excited about their progress. This will motivate them to push for more.
3. Explain why.
Make sure that you make time for meaningful conversations with your kids about why they should do something and not others. Remember, kids are curious, and they truly do depend on our perspective. Don’t be afraid to explain things to help them understand.
4. Help them find their strengths and weaknesses.
As your child’s parent, you can notice things about themselves that maybe they don’t see. For example, your daughter may shine at art but fall short at sports. If she gets discouraged about sports, you might push her more towards art.
5. Plan.
Goals are meaningless without a plan. When you set goals with your child, make sure you sit down and chart out a plan. Additionally, don’t be unrealistic. Above, we used the example of piano playing, and setting a goal for becoming a novice by the end of the month would likely not be realistic and will set your child up for disappointment.
6. Make it competitive.
Kids are naturally competitive. So, make their goals competitive. When we compete with others, our natural inclination is to win. When you make things a competition, you are naturally motivating them. Just be sure not to take it too far.
7. Keep them on a routine.
Your child is never going to feel their best if they do not have a routine. Additionally, routines mean setting aside time every day for whatever it is that they need to do- so when it comes to 4 o’clock, and they are supposed to have band practice every day at 4, their body will naturally be motivated because it’s a part of their routine.
8. Encourage them.
Make sure that you constantly remind your child of what they are capable of. Children get discouraged and lose confidence in themselves. When this happens, it’s important to remind them that setbacks do not take away from what they have accomplished.
9. Help them see the big picture.
Kids oftentimes only think in terms of right now. The future seems so far off, so why should they have to do math? It’s our job when this happens to help them understand that it is all a part of a bigger picture.