One of my favorite movie franchises is the Rocky series. The scene that I like more than any other is in Rocky II. Rocky has an important rematch coming up against Apollo Creed and hasn’t trained well for it because his wife is unsupportive. His trainer, Mickey, tries one thing after another to get him to train hard but gets more and more frustrated with Rocky’s lack of focus. When his wife, Adrian, goes into a coma following complications during the birth of their child, Rocky’s training stops completely. The pivotal moment comes when she wakes up. She tells him, “There’s one thing I want you to do for me. Win.” She repeats herself, “Win.” Her support and encouragement were all he needed to motivate him.
As a parent, you are your child’s biggest fan and cheerleader. Your kids look up to you, and they look to you for direction. It is your duty to motivate your kids in life and help them when they need it. Whether it is school, sports, or hobbies, motivate them to be the best they can be. Here are 10 ways to motivate your child.
1. Set goals.
Have them make a list of short-term goals and one long-term goal. Make sure the goals are reachable but require effort to obtain.
It is your duty to motivate your kids in life and help them when they need it.2. Celebrate accomplishments.
When your child accomplishes their goals, tell them you are proud of them. Celebrate these things together. In some cases, reward your child for their hard work.
3. Make things competitive.
Encourage healthy competition. Cheer on your child to beat another runner in a race or to take home the trophy from the Spelling Bee. Make competition about positivity and strength in regard to your child and never about negativity and weakness towards the competitor.
4. Encourage them.
Let your child know that you believe in them. Tell them how great they are going to do. Dismiss any self-doubt or fears they may have.
5. Take interest.
Learn about your child’s interests. Talk to your child about them and listen. It will show your children that you care and are free to talk to you about their interests.
6. Discover passion.
Encourage your children to discover what they are passionate about. It may take a few tries along the way. Support them on their journey towards passion and urge them to keep going until they find out what it is.
7. Remain positive.
Maintain a positive and optimistic outlook for your children. If they see fear or doubt in your eyes then they will likely lose self-confidence. Having a positive approach will lighten their entire outlook to a situation.
8. Lean into peer pressure.
Occasionally, a little peer pressure is not a bad thing. It can push your kids to do better in school or a sport because they want to keep up with their friends. However, watch for when the stress of peer pressure becomes too much.
9. Make a plan.
To reach goals, you need a plan. Help your children create a strategy for reaching their goals. Make a step-by-step plan to reach them.
10. Excite them.
Excite your children about their goals and ambitions. Show that you are excited for them too. The positive energy and adrenaline will push them to continue their hard work and be happy with their efforts.
Sound off: What do you think is the best way to motivate your children?
Huddle up with your child and say, “I think you are amazing at ____ because ______.”