Motivating Children: Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3
Part I: Why isn't my child motivated to learn?
"What we want is to see the child in pursuit of knowledge, and not knowledge in pursuit of the child." -George Bernard Shaw
Motivation is a feeling or an attitude of excitement. It is the ability to work against discouragement, to face competition and challenge, or to take on a task with determination and perseverance. Outside forces can stimulate motivation; but as it matures, inside forces produce much of the stimulus. Some researchers believe that age six is often a critical period in the development of motivation.
Studies indicate that as many as 15 to 40 percent of our nation's children fall into the category of the underachiever or the child who lacks motivation. The largest percentage of these children appears to be boys. The serious effects of poor motivation do not often surface until early puberty. This lack of achievement is fast becoming a nationwide concern; it robs children of motivation and a sense of personal control -it destroys family life. Try the quiz below a see if the results describe your child's behavior.
Motivation is a feeling or an attitude of excitement. It is the ability to work against discouragement, to face competition and challenge, or to take on a task with determination and perseverance. Outside forces can stimulate motivation; but as it matures, inside forces produce much of the stimulus. Some researchers believe that age six is often a critical period in the development of motivation.
Studies indicate that as many as 15 to 40 percent of our nation's children fall into the category of the underachiever or the child who lacks motivation. The largest percentage of these children appears to be boys. The serious effects of poor motivation do not often surface until early puberty. This lack of achievement is fast becoming a nationwide concern; it robs children of motivation and a sense of personal control -it destroys family life. Try the quiz below a see if the results describe your child's behavior.
If parents believe their children lack motivation, it is time to step back and carefully evaluate how they might have contributed to the situation. We can bring about change by the way we interact with an individual. Hard as it may seem, if we want to change the patterns of motivation, the change must begin with us. It is also important to remember that the child did not reach this point overnight or in just one instance. Reversal may be a slow, tedious process. For the parent who is willing to put forth the effort, however, it is an investment in a discouraged child's future.
The link below will take you to a scramble game to see if you can identify characteristics of motivated and unmotivated children. Do you see any of these traits in your child?
Motivated/Unmotivated Child Activity
The link below will take you to a scramble game to see if you can identify characteristics of motivated and unmotivated children. Do you see any of these traits in your child?
Motivated/Unmotivated Child Activity
You may read a text copy of this lesson, modified from the Practical Parenting Curriculum (c)2011, in part three of this site.