For many parents, their children’s futures seem limited to the local town, the local college and maybe a job in that small town they’ll grow up in. But as parents, we know there is more to our children’s futures than that. They are intelligent, curious individuals who can make positive contributions to the world. They just need the right motivation.
As parents, we want our children to succeed, to have a fulfilling life and to have a positive impact on others. And while there are many ways to motivate your child, some more effective than others, here are five that could be the perfect inspiration for your child.
Surround Them with Possibilities
Your child is the future. You are the present. When you look at your child, you’re not seeing a stranger, you’re seeing yourself as a future grown-up. What will they grow up to be like? This can be a scary, but also an incredibly exciting, thought. And when you look at what your child has been up to recently, you’ve probably noticed that they’ve been spending a lot of time thinking about the future.
You can help them stay positive by encouraging them to surround themselves with possibilities. For example, when they get into a subject, dive into it with them. Talk about what it would take to get into that type of career when they are older. Want to inspire them to reach for their dream college? Then put fake degrees on their wall with the name of the college they want to go to! It helps them visualize the future and one day, they can replace the fake one with the real thing!
Additionally, consider exploring their interests further by introducing them to enriching activities. If they’ve shown an interest in music, perhaps you could explore the world of music education. Consider enrolling them in the best online violin lessons for kids, opening up a world of musical possibilities that could become a lifelong passion.
Teach Problem-Solving Skills
Problem-solving skills are abilities like critical thinking and creative problem-solving. These skills can be taught and improved through practice, and make up a large part of what separates the “average” from the “extraordinary”.
Try to teach these skills to your child as you see them developing, no matter what age this may happen. Waiting for them to ask you about critical thinking? Help them identify and clarify ideas by using methods they connect with. Want to give them a creative boost? Challenge them to think of an alternate way around a problem they’re having.
Problem-solving goes beyond just solving specific problems, though. It needs to come from a place of fun challenge. Things like toys and puzzles that require unique thinking are a great place to start. They provide the ability to think creatively and outside the box. And while these skills can be taught, practiced, and improved with effort, they are also genetic. Children who are more likely to grow up to be the “extraordinary” are those who have these skills to some degree. So, while you can’t force your child to think creatively or outside the box, you can encourage them by giving them opportunities to think outside the box.
Help Your Child Learn Empathy
Empathy is understanding another person’s feelings or perspectives, or why someone would think a certain way. You can help your child learn empathy by sharing your own personal feelings when you are speaking about something that affects you. Giving your child opportunities to practice empathy helps them understand why others might feel a certain way.
You can do this in many ways, from pretending to pour your heart out to your child, to talking about a time when you felt a certain way and how you handled it. Make sure you aren’t just talking about your own feelings, but also those of others. This helps your child understand what others may be feeling, and why they might feel a certain way, too.
Connect with Your Child Through Adventure
Your child’s future is full of possibilities, but if they aren’t interested in those possibilities they are now, then they can at least connect with their adventurous side as they get older. Help your child connect with their adventurous side by giving them opportunities to explore.
More specifically, give them opportunities to explore their world through adventure.
Find a common goal By finding a common goal, you and your child can work together to help bring more meaning to your experiences together and create more lasting memories. A good goal can bring people together in a way that feels meaningful, and can help you connect with your child in a more personal way.
Find a Common Goal
Your child’s future is full of endless possibilities. This can be overwhelming, and exciting, but also a little scary. If your child isn’t motivated to succeed in some way, they may feel that there is no reason to continue.
To help them feel more motivated, you can share your goals, and help them find a way to connect with their goals. This can be done in many ways, and doesn’t have to be serious or important. A fun way to do this is by using a “Map for Life”.
A map for life can help you connect with your child and help them find ways to feel motivated to succeed. You can create a map for your child that helps them see how their goals are connected to your goals and others’ goals. This helps them feel more motivated and connected with their future.
For example, if your child does not read much, it could be because their reading skills are not as they’d like. You can connect with them by identifying books you can read together. You can build their confidence further by using platforms like ABCmouse to work on their reading skills and boost their interest in reading.
Bottom Line for Motivation
As parents, we want our children to succeed, to have a fulfilling life and to have a positive impact on others. And while there are many ways to motivate your child, some more effective than others, here are 5 that have helped our family.
Surround your child with possibilities, teach problem-solving skills, help your child learn empathy, connect with your child through adventure, find a common goal and, find a common goal. These 5 ways can help your child stay positive and motivated.
