Your child's motivation to learn can be improved with these 5 simple steps

Who says motivation to learn is only needed by adults? In fact, children also need motivation so that they are more enthusiastic about learning at school. Although motivation can be obtained from anywhere, children still cannot control themselves. Therefore, the role of parents is needed to help increase their motivation to learn.

Check out some tips and tricks that parents can do at home so that children's learning motivation continues to burn.

A powerful way to increase children's learning motivation

Here are various ways that parents can help increase children's learning motivation:

1. Encourage children to talk heart to heart

Even though achievement affects the future, don't immediately scold your child when he is lazy to study. Instead of grumbling at length, talk to your children from heart to heart. Ask the child with a gentle attitude what difficulties he is facing. After that, then you give input to children on how to deal with and overcome difficulties.

Remember, criticizing a child's mistakes or shortcomings will actually make them feel bad about themselves. The more you get yelled at, the less likely your child will listen to you. On the other hand, give the child encouragement so that he has more confidence in his own abilities and will certainly motivate the child to learn better without feeling pressured.

2. Give him a gift

Who doesn't like to be given gifts by loved ones? Whether it's adults or children, they will be very happy when given gifts. In children, giving gifts or reward is one way to increase their motivation to learn. Not only that, giving gifts can also help change children's behavior in a more positive direction.

However, you have to be careful when you want to give gifts for your little one. Your child may become excited about doing good habits just to get a reward and then won't do it again.

Quoting Parents, Edward Deci, Ph.D., a psychologist from the University of Rochester said that although rewards can motivate children to do certain activities, this motivation is generally momentary. When gifts are no longer obtained, that motivation fades again.

So that this does not happen, you must be selective when you want to give gifts to children. Remember, gifts are not always material. Some simple things like a hug, a kiss, high five , and a compliment to the child is also a form of gift to the child.

When giving gifts to children, make sure you tell the reasons why they deserve gifts from you. That way, your child will know that he has done a good thing and that you like him.

3. Identify the child's learning style

Every child has different preferences and learning styles. Maybe your child seems reluctant to learn because he is being forced to study which is not his style.

In general, children's learning methods are divided into three:

Auditory (hearing). Children with this learning style usually prefer listening to explanations in person rather than having to read written instructions. This is because auditory children generally find it easier to absorb information by means of texting.
Visual (sight). Children with this learning style usually find it easier to remember things by looking at pictures, photos and illustrations. Visual children tend to have difficulty verbally conveying information to others.
Kinesthetic (movement). Children with kinesthetic learning styles are very active in moving here and there. Not surprisingly, when studying, he often could not sit still in class for long periods of time. Children with this learning style usually use more body language to explain things. Dancing, role playing and music, as well as sports are things that are very popular with kinesthetic children.

So, children who have a visual learning style will have difficulty when asked to learn using the auditory method. Likewise, children with auditory learning methods generally have difficulty absorbing information just from seeing symbols.

Therefore, so that children are more motivated to learn, you also need to know the learning styles that children really like. This not only helps children learn more effectively, but also helps optimize their intelligence later.

4. Focus on children's interests

When the learning process involves things that are of interest to the child, the child will feel happy while doing it. So, therefore, if you want to help optimize your child's learning process, then encourage them to explore topics and subjects that they really like. So, don't put pressure on your child that he has to get good grades in lessons that he doesn't really know.

For example, if your child is interested in painting and music, you can buy him a set of painting or music tools. After that, challenge the child to make a painting or play the instrument in front of you. If necessary, you can call a private tutor to help develop your little one's interest.

5. Encourage children to read a lot

Reading is the key to success in learning. In fact, various studies have found that reading not only helps children develop more vocabulary, but also has a positive influence on the child's brain. Yes, reading can help improve the brain's cognitive function to think and sharpen memory skills.

Because children tend to imitate what their parents do, give an example that you also like to read books too. Make it a habit to have reading sessions at least one hour a day. This indirectly makes children think that reading is an important activity to do, so that over time they will get used to it and eventually read on their own without having to be asked again.

But remember. Do not require children to read certain books. Instead, let them choose their own books or reading material that they will read. That way the children are more enthusiastic to do it themselves.

If a child is accustomed to reading from an early age, then he will not find it difficult when asked to read school textbooks.