According to the dictionary, motivation is the mental preparation to execute an action with interest and diligence.
From my point of view, it is, without a doubt, the key to learning. If our children are motivated, they will be predisposed to learn, to get involved in the task and to put all their effort into achieving the goal. In this way, they will learn things much more easily and naturally.
Therefore, it is essential to work on motivation at home to encourage them to develop everything from the most daily tasks (picking up toys, getting dressed, washing, setting the table, going to school, doing homework, etc.) to the most "extraordinary" ones that pose a significant challenge (learning to ride a bike, skate, swim, interact with other children, etc.).
Parents have a lot to do with this, and there are many things we can offer them. I'm giving you some "practical ideas" that I apply in my daily life with them and that work for me:
1.-Telling them STORIES is a very useful resource, and I think one of the most powerful to motivate them and make them want to do things... If we choose the stories we tell them well and know how to use them, you can't imagine the influence they will have on their behavior.
2.-Making IMAGINATION our ally... if we manage to distract their attention with something that "hooks" them, it will be much easier for them to do what they have to do. For example, we can invent a character and become a robot, a musketeer, or a detective who needs them for something - this resource will surprise them and make them change their "chip," because things are done differently when playing. When using it, it's important to consider the child's personality and preferences, whether they like knights, pirates, magicians, or animals, etc. Each child is unique and special, so there is no magic formula that works for everyone.
3.-Telling them OUR PERSONAL EXPERIENCES... Have you noticed that they listen to you differently when you tell them things that happened to you when you were little? Telling things from the heart will make the "message get through" to them differently and they won't forget it so easily.
4.-Always let them see us with a POSITIVE ATTITUDE, speak to them cheerfully, animatedly, singing... let them discover that we can greatly enjoy doing the everyday things in life (washing, combing our hair, getting dressed, etc.) and that it is up to us to make them special. Attitude, always, changes everything!
5.-Creating NEW HEROES and new role models for our children... making them look up to people who strive and fight to achieve their goals.... Talk to them about these people whenever you have the chance, while glancing at the newspaper, watching TV, meeting an acquaintance on the street, simply chatting... tell them what it took to get there, the value of their effort and that the reward lies in it, in the satisfaction of a job well done and self-improvement... let them see that these types of people are the true heroes of our society and that they are often anonymous.
6.-Recognize their effort, congratulate them when they try and do their best for it to turn out well, and not just when the result is good... the most important thing is their ATTITUDE in doing things... reinforcing their positive behaviors will encourage them to keep trying and, therefore, to keep improving... Remember that their greatest motivation is usually our recognition, our applause, our kisses and hugs...
7.-Explain THE WHY of things, why they have to do them. When they understand, it is much easier for them to reason and decide to "collaborate."
8.-INVOLVE THEM in decisions... make them feel like "accomplices" and participants in them. If they feel they are an active part of the decision to do something, it will be very easy to get them to do it... Have you tried agreeing and deciding together on the rules at home?
9.-PREPARE THEM mentally for what they have to do, it's very important especially when it's something they don't like... It's not the same for them to gradually prepare themselves and get used to the idea that they have to do it than for it to catch them by surprise...
10.-That there is CONSISTENCY, that they see that we also do what we ask of them, that we also fulfill our obligations... Don't forget that we are their best reference.
11.-In the case of complex tasks, it is necessary to SET short-term GOALS, pose CHALLENGES: concrete and achievable goals so that they feel the satisfaction of achievement... motivation is fed back as we achieve goals, and if the process is too long, they may get discouraged or even bored...
12.-Make sure that the activity or task we propose is APPROPRIATE for him or her. If they are not prepared to carry it out, they will feel frustrated when they do not achieve results and will become demotivated.
13.-Give them TIME to carry out the proposed activity... let's adopt the motto, "slowly but surely"...
14.- MUSIC, it's true that it "soothes the savage beast" hahaha... and it has saved me from complicated situations many times... music connects with our emotions, transports us to other places and makes us "vibrate"... it can be very helpful for us to change their mood (and ours) in moments of blockage.
15.-Very important, make them understand ERROR as an OPPORTUNITY to keep improving and not as a failure. Explain to them that the "normal" learning process for anything is trial-and-error, trial-and-error, trial-and-error... that's the only way to improve, learn, grow, and achieve what we set out to do. If we are afraid to try things, we will never be able to move forward, so it is fundamental, and an important part of our role as parents, to make them understand this and not punish mistakes but simply see them as a natural stage of learning.
16.-Make them feel important, unique and special. Highlight their qualities, their VIRTUES often. Let them feel that you trust them to overcome the proposed challenge and that they are the true "protagonists" of the activity.
And you? What other motivation resources have worked for you with your children? Feel free to leave me your comments...
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