Parents are motivated now more than ever to enroll their kids in sports and other extra-curricular activities. The question is, how do you motivate your child? There is a fine balance between support and pressure. In order to motivate our kids the healthy way, it’s important to understand the needs of each individual child. Here are 7 ways to start.
1. Discover their interests. They only way to find out what your child may like or be talented in is to expose them. But it’s important to expose them in doses they can handle. Kids need to digest and make assessments about the things they’ve seen and the activities they’ve tried. Exposing your child to something new also doesn’t have to involve the commitment of a whole season or semester. Before signing your child up for an extracurricular activity, let them get their feet wet first. Many programs offer free trial classes, for instance. Paying attention to the things they like at home are also great cues for the kinds of activities they may like.
2. Involve them in the decision-making process. Involving your child in the decision-making process is important for two reasons: One, your child knows what he likes better than you do. And two, by involving him, he’ll feel invested, which may bolster his level of commitment.
3. Support without hovering. Too much unwanted attention and pressure can overwhelm your child and even cause him to dislike an activity he once enjoyed doing. Children naturally want to please their parents so be weary about showing too much enthusiasm as well, which can translate to unwanted pressure.
4. Give your child a chance to showcase what he’s learned. Widening the exposure of your child’s recently discovered passions and acquired skills can be a great way to motivate a child to keep going. Next time your child comes home with an art project, show a friend and ask him to talk about it. Or if he has a game he’s excited about, ask your child how he would feel about inviting relatives.
5. Reinforce relationships with like-minded peers. Your child may already have ample friends. But once he has discovered a hobby, being in the presence of others who share the same interests can be a great way to motivate him. One of the things Holiday Baking Championship Jackson Fujimori found most rewarding from being a contestant on the Food Network was meeting other bakers his age, especially other boys who loved baking. Jackson was able to discuss specific baking-related topics with these new cohorts, topics he would’ve never talked about with his friends back home.
6. Find a mentor. One of the most important lifelines of a long-term pursuit is a mentor. There’s no one specific formula for finding a mentor, but the key to identifying a good mentor is by gauging the natural chemistry your child may have with a mentor figure. The mentor should also be someone who recognizes, appreciates and believes in your child’s potential. Many times, a mentor will come in the form of a teacher or teacher’s assistant. But be open-minded. Mentors can come in all forms.
7. Reward the effort and not the outcome. When parents are able to focus on effort and not the outcome, it teaches their child a key skill to developing perseverance. Your child may not have control over a particular outcome. But he can control how much he practices. This sense of control is empowering for kids and motivates them to go the distance without letting unpredictable factors deter them.