15 Practical Tips on How to Motivate Your Child to Learn

Lesson preparation - the most popular reason for quarreling in families with children. The biggest mistake most people make is limiting their learning to class or homework. Learning must be permanent. For example, it is not enough to check the homework in biology. You can explain the phenomenon of photosynthesis by walking through the park. The second mistake is to force the child to learn without explaining why he needs it.

Here is a list of 15 tips that will help motivate your child to learn.

Find out why your child doesn't like learning.

• By finding out why your child doesn't like learning, you'll be able to help.

• Some reasons for lack of motivation may be:

• Poor understanding of the material;

• Topics that do not suit the child's learning interest;

• Anxiety about school;

• Low self-confidence.

Prepare the study space.

Sometimes the lack of motivation to study is the inadequate space for homework. Make sure the table and chair are comfortable, the room is lighted, equipped with office supplies, etc.

Food and drink should be missing from the study table. But even when hungry, the child will not be able to learn. Therefore, it is a good idea to give him a light snack and plenty of water before preparing for the lessons.

Create a study plan together.

Children do well if they have clear tasks. Make this plan with your child. Including your child in this process will help keep them involved and more willing to adhere to the plan.

The plan should include:

• The time when homework should be done every day;

• The time that should be given for homework;

• Number and duration of breaks;

• Setting priority tasks, depending on the degree of difficulty (for example, we do the lightest tasks first, then the others).

Create a reward system.

Create a reward system with your child. Rewards can be simple - after completing homework, they will watch TV or allow them to play in the yard, and so on. The rewards must be valuable to the child.

Remove stressors.

If your child is stressed, he or she may have some difficulty studying. The reasons for this condition may be different. You need to find out the source of the stress and help him get over it.

Talk about his emotions. The best times for such discussions are during walks, when listening to music, or while drawing. It is best to do this after completing homework or during breaks.

7 methods to remove examination stress

Focus on learning rather than performance.

Instead of focusing primarily on grades, mark the learning milestones - both high and low. This can happen when your child successfully solves a difficult math problem or when he or she finishes writing the first draft of an essay. When you focus on learning, your child will find more pleasure in doing the work. This will stimulate your motivation.

Encourage your child to reach small goals.

Set sub-goals with your child that are achievable based on what needs to be accomplished. Setting small goals gives your child clear directions on what needs to be done and boosts confidence when it is achieved.

For example, don't read the whole book in one day, but plan to read it for a week, one chapter a day.

Experience various learning methods.

There are seven basic learning styles: visual, auditory, verbal, physical, logical (mathematical), social, and individual. For example, children with visual memory learn best by seeing how things work. Instead, hearing-learning children learn best by listening to the things explained.

There is no one-size-fits-all solution. Every child has their style, temperament, and style. Try different study techniques to see what works best for your child. You can combine them as needed.

Take breaks between homework.

Although the child may be tempted to try to do all the homework at once, the brain may lose focus without pauses (especially for younger students). Dividing study time into manageable parts is important to keep your child's mind focused and rested.

Encourage your child to take appropriate study breaks. Take 5–10 minute breaks after about 30 minutes of work. Use a stopwatch to remind them when it's time to take a break.

Teach your child to exercise during breaks.

The accumulated energy leads to frustration and makes studying difficult. Regular exercise improves overall well-being and reduces stress, making homework much easier.

Before preparing the homework you can take a dose of energy by taking a walk around the block, and during the breaks between homework, you can use various games that involve movement.

Help him to enjoy reading.

Many children do not like to read, so they do not want to learn. But reading is very important in developing thinking and communication skills. Reading not only helps children to develop their vocabulary but also develops their creativity. And reading skills ensure increased performance in class.

I wrote a special article on how to make your child love reading.

You can create a family reading time in which everyone can focus on reading for 20 minutes a day. By reading your example and filling a room with reading materials (novels, posters, newspapers, magazines, etc.) you will create a reading atmosphere that will demonstrate to the child the importance of reading.

Encourage open and sincere communication.

Encourage your child to express their opinion about what is happening to their education. Create an open atmosphere in which you feel comfortable expressing your appreciation, dislikes, or concerns. When he shares his opinion, make sure you show him understanding - even if you don't agree.

When children feel that their opinion does not matter or if they are stuck, they are likely to break away from the learning process.

Those who learn well know what others think of them, and they feel confident that they can be open about their educational experience without being judged, disappointed, discouraged, or ignored.

Share your enthusiasm for learning with your child.

Children lose their enthusiasm, especially when it comes to learning new things. If the little one sees that his parent is sincerely enthusiastic about learning, he will show the same interest.

Take advantage of every opportunity - tell her new, interesting things. As the child sees the joy of the parent, he will also begin to share his enthusiasm for learning new things.

Focus on your strengths.

It is often difficult for parents to focus on their child's strengths when it comes to modest learning outcomes. But they certainly exist! And for the psychological comfort of the child, it is very important to find them and focus more on them.

Instead, focusing on your child's weaknesses can only lead to discouragement, suffering, and a lack of desire to learn.

Did your child fail the math test? Well, in addition to giving him a little extra help in math, make sure you congratulate him on how well he handles the other subjects.

Make every day a learning day.

Encourage your child to explore the world around him, ask questions, and see the connection between reality and what he is learning. Study together every day, then the child will be motivated to learn something new, no matter where they are - on the bench or at the playground.