Chaplain's Spot

Practical ways to motivate your child –Part 1

In the past I have featured ideas from Nigel Lane, who wrote ‘101 Practical ways to motivate your child’. He ahs worked with young people and their families worldwide since 1991. I am going to feature some of these again this year. He starts his book with a quote from Marcelene Cox: ‘Parents are often so busy with the physical rearing of children that they miss the glory of parenthood, just as the grandeur of the trees is lost when raking leaves’. I recommend purchasing it, as I will only be providing brief notes.

Here is the first instalment.

1 - When your child is struggling to start or do something that they don’t like it – ask them to do it for just 5 minutes.

2 - Make involvement less about winning, and more about increasing their skills.

3 - Affirmations are powerful – they empower – such as ‘I believe in me’ and ‘I choose to make today a great day’.

4 - Always look on the bright side of life – put up your hand if you didn’t sing the song in your mind.

5 - Ask good questions – ‘Can you tell me more about that?’, or ‘Would you like my help with this?’

6 - When we jump in and rescue them, it isn’t healthy for anybody, and no real learning takes place.

7 – Invite your children’s friends to your house, and get to know them.

8 - Find out who your child looks up to as a good role model or hero, and then go out and buy their biography.

9 - Our children will be more motivated if communicate with them in language that they can understand.

10- Listen to what they say – they just need to be able to express how they feel.

11- Teach them that there is joy in learning and stretching their mind, not just winning.

12- A whole team will produce greater results – grandparents, sports coaches, uncles/aunts, youth workers.

13- As parents, we can offer tasks that are just challenging enough for them to complete with a little hard work.

14- If you see that your child has potential, then we need to motivate them to release that potential.

15- Create a family environment where discussion of emotions [positive or negative] is a regular event.

16- Resilient children can say I have people I trust and love, I am a lovable person, I can find ways to solve problems.

17- Don’t add to their stress by unloading your issues on them.

18- Involve everyone in family conferences – allow freedom of speech and ideas, so even the youngest feels valued.

19- If we can motivate them early to do everything a task requires, we are preparing them for later life.

20- 4 minute rule – first thing when you/they come home, spend 4 minutes asking each other about your day.

Enjoy trying out some of these for your family.

Community wellbeing: Our Toast Tuesday program runs before school in the Sports and Performance Centre, and is open to all students. We would love to welcome any parents or grandparents who would be happy to join our team of helpers. The link to sign up for Term 2 is volunteersignup.org/LL3RB.

You only need a current WWC card, and a willingness to support others in a fun program.

We are thankful to Woolies Eastland and Bakers Delight Heathmont for their support of Toast Tuesday.

Uniforms: We also have available second-hand uniforms in good condition for sale, for gold coin donations. These sales also provide necessary supplies for Toast Tuesday.

Contact: Feel free to contact me at any time.

Alan Silverwood: Chaplain - Pastoral care for our community. [Tuesday & Friday]

[alan.silverwood@education.vic.gov.au]