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As a concerned and caring parent, you obviously want your children to do well in school. The progress they achieve in their academic studies now could determine how they fare for the rest of their lives, including the colleges they’re able to attend and the types of jobs they’ll ultimately hold. Of course, most kids are not that forward-thinking. They’d rather play with their friends, play video games, and goof off than do homework or study for tests. So there will be times when you have to make them buckle down and do their work. But really, wouldn’t you rather motivate them so that they take an interest in the prospect of their own future? The answer, of course, is yes, but actually motivating your children is not quite so simple. So here are just a few ways that you might instill in them a desire to do better in school.
1 Help them with studies. Often, kids can get frustrated, bored, and discouraged when left to manage a mountain of homework on their own. But when you take the time to participate in the process, you not only have the ability to monitor their academic progress, but also to assist them with any problems they may be having and build confidence in their abilities through encouragement and praise. When kids associate academics with positive feelings, they’re going to be a lot more motivated to try hard and succeed in school.
2 Reward good behavior and grades. When kids take their responsibilities seriously, doing their homework without complaint and pulling good grades, there’s no reason you shouldn’t reward their hard work. One thing you’ll want to avoid is food rewards (as this can lead to eating disorders), but there’s no reason you can’t plan fun activities for the end of the semester, like a slumber party with friends, a camping trip, or even a day at a nearby theme park. Rewards can be a great motivator for children, and teaching them that hard work brings rewards is also a great lesson.
3 Give consequences. Some kids go through phases where they refuse to do their homework and they fib about having done it, or about having any in the first place. Of course, this generally doesn’t last too long; once parents speak to teachers and discover that low grades have resulted from kids failing to complete work, they get wise to the scam.
4 Volunteer to help the homeless. You might wonder just how this strategy relates to motivating kids to do better in school. But there are a couple of potential benefits. First and foremost, you’ll foster a sense of compassion and charity in your children, which never hurts. It also gives you bonding time together, and can help instill a sense of pride in their work. The fact that they’ll help others in the process is icing on the cake.
5 Lead by example. One of the best ways to help kids develop a love of learning is to engage in ongoing education yourself and include your kids in the process. After all,the learning experience franchise does not rest solely with schools and teachers. So whether you sign up for art classes, learn digital photography techniques, or take tours of recycling plants, museums, and businesses around town that interest you, simply taking the time to learn something new with your kids can help to show them that learning can be a fun and valuable experience.
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