Many of us have experienced lack of motivation at some point in our lives whether it is at home, at work or at school. One minute we have the enthusiasm we need to accomplish something and the very next minute we lose interest - especially when we run into obstacles. In this particular case, I remember how I use to struggle as a child to find motivation in school.
As a child, I would quickly lose the drive when certain things were not heading in the direction I had imagined. All throughout my school years, I would struggle with science and math. I felt intimidated because others in class would grasp the information quicker than me and produced better ideas than me. I felt ashamed and lost interest in wanting to learn. My mother realized if I didn't find the motivation to enhance my skills in these areas, I would fail in these two classes. Therefore, my mother and sister would take turns sitting with me to do my math and science homework. They not only assisted me, but they were learning along with me. We shared thoughts and ideas on the topics. We did practice projects so I could better understand the material. It took a while, but eventually I embraced the classes and was motivated to learn with my peers without fear.
Below are five ways my mother helped increase my motivation as a child:
Study with your child
Sit with your child throughout his or her homework. Answer the best way possible any of their questions. If you are unaware of an answer, have your child join you in researching the information - online or in the library.
Reward your child
My mother would never pressure me to come home with a perfect score. She would encourage me to do the best I could. And every time I came home with a good grade, she not only placed the test or work on the refrigerator, but she would reward me with an extra hour of television or video games.
Ignore negative criticism
As a child, I was bullied and heard plenty of negative criticism. Even though it was difficult to do, I tried my best to ignore. My mother taught me ignoring is the best policy. If children pay too much attention to the negativity, they are only moving backward and not forward. Encourage your kids to remain focused and positive.
Keep a journal of all accomplishments
As a child, the accomplishments may not be much or very frequent. However, if your children are in a sport at school or within the community, have them write down their contributions and accomplishments. The same tactic should be used for their homework and exams.
Allow your children to listen to their favorite music
Music is a fantastic motivator. I used it when I was young to complete my homework and special assignments. To this very day, I still use music - during writing, accounting, and cleaning - as a form of motivation.
Do not fret if your child loses his or her motivation along the way. We all suffer relapses many times in our daily lives. I know I relapsed plenty of times during my school years. Nevertheless, my mother was constantly encouraging me. I would gain the enthusiasm a little each day until I recovered my full motivation. Always keep the lines of communication open with your children. They need to be heard at all times. Parents are a child's number one motivator.
