Celebrate Learning--Be your child's biggest cheerleader
If you want to motivate your children to be great learners, open their eyes to a world full of ideas and experiences. But most of all, says Roxanne Starks, president of the Wisconsin Parent Teacher Association, you need to be their biggest fan. "It's easy to be a cheerleader when your child does something good," says Starks. "But you must also be a cheerleader when things go wrong. Helping them understand that some days aren't so good is an important part of growing up and lets them know you're in their corner, no matter what."
Starks offers a few other tips to help you become your children's greatest fan.
Ask Questions. Sit down every evening and go through their day. Try to get beyond what they had for lunch. What went well? What didn't go well? Look for learning opportunities each and every day.
Go Back To School With Each Child. It's hard to be a parent, but it's so important for you to literally go back to school again by visiting the school and paying attention to the curriculum. When your child sees you participating in their journey, it makes a huge difference in their motivation to learn.
Reward Your Children. Positive reinforcement is the best medicine when you want to motivate children. Look for little successes. Let them know that tomorrow will be better.
Stand With Your Children, Always. Don't dwell on negative things. Focus on the positive and move on from the negativity. Help your children to release negative moments and let them go. "This is how we can make things better" is a positive motivational phrase. As a parent you must recognize that you are your children's greatest cheerleader from cradle to career.
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