5 Effective Ways To Motivate Your Child Towards Academic Excellence

How well is your child doing in school? Perhaps it hasn't been all you expected, and you feel they could do better. Every great parent wants their child to excel in all they do, including school. So, how do you correctly give them that push they need? To motivate your child for academic excellence, show genuine interest and enthusiasm in their academics, focus on their strengths, and check in with them regularly. Below are proven ways to go about that:

1. Create structured routines

Routines can help us become more productive, and that applies to children as well. As parents, conflict often arises when we try to motivate our kids to do anything. That's because so many other things are contending for their time, including hanging out with friends, TV, and gaming. By setting time for all of
these things, you can encourage your child to give attention to their studies without sacrificing social life and entertainment. As a result, they won't feel they're losing anything and will be more ready to learn. However, even while following routines, it's best to be flexible when the need arises.

2. Remember it is not all about the results

In life, results don't always reflect the amount of work we've put in. If your child doesn't get the grades they expected due to how hard they've studied, they might be discouraged from putting in that much work ever again. It's, therefore, important to encourage your child to take pleasure in the process rather than focusing on the results. Paying attention in school, reading different books, etc., can lead to better grades. But not all the time. However, even though your child's grades aren't the best, they'd learn the act of patience, discipline, and commitment. They will always gain, even when it doesn't significantly show in their grades.

3. Rewards and reinforcement

Rewards are an excellent way to motivate your child to do better in school. But you want to be careful here, as overdoing it can eventually backfire. For example, a child may not be willing to put in the work in their studies when there's no reward in sight.

However, there are ways you can use external motivation to evoke internal motivation. For instance, praising your child can make them feel good and willing to do better in order to make you proud.

4. Discuss the future

It's easy for your child to get stuck in the deep sea of a grade-oriented childhood. Their entire childhood is woven around improving their grades, and they can't find purpose outside of school. So if they're not getting stellar grades, they're unhappy. Instead, help your child to see the bigger picture. Discuss their goals for the future. What do they want to become? Let them see how taking their academics seriously can help them achieve that goal. Then, studying hard is no longer the focus but the process -- a means towards an end.

5. Show interest in their academics

A crucial part of motivating your child to do better in school is to show genuine interest in their schooling. Don't just demand good grades. Ask what they're studying and what they learned in class today. Talk to their teachers and visit the school when the need arises. Assist them with their homework when they ask for it, although you should let them handle most of it on their own. Knowing you are
interested in what they do can encourage your child to put in more effort.

What not to do

Now, while motivating your child towards academic excellence, there are mistakes you must avoid:

 Avoid making them feel an A is the only grade worthy of praise
 Avoid forcing your child to read all the time, even when they should be playing. Play can spark creativity
 Avoid comparing your child with other kids
 Don't make them feel they're nothing without good grades

Wrapping up

That you want the best for your child shows you're an awesome parent, and you should feel great. No matter where your child is right now in their academic journey, there's always room for improvement. But, even when the improvement is slight, they're making progress. And it's important to let your child know there's more to life than good grades