Keep Your Child Motivated This Winter
It can be a lot more difficult to keep your child motivated to learn during the winter. According to the facts, weather impacts us directly; sunlight is crucial for mood and energy. This is down to the increase in serotonin which regulates our happiness levels, leading to boosts in concentration. Melatonin is also then affected, which therefore interrupts our sleeping pattern.
The only place many children want to be is in bed watching TV, and you can’t really blame them! But we do need to start pushing them in the right direction; otherwise, they’ll begin to fall behind their peers. So what can we, as parents, do to make sure they are motivated and ready to go this winter? Unfortunately, there is no magic pill to make them do this, but there are a few things we can be doing to help.
Be More Involved
Parents can lead by example with school and homework and show their children why and how it’s important to keep a rhythm going, even during winter. As such, students with engaged parents have higher attendance, self-esteem, and an improved graduation rate. Parents who do not get as involved will see their children become unmotivated and uninterested in school.
So what can you do to be more involved?
Well, firstly, you can set goals with them. These must be achievable. Be sure to add incentives for doing so, perhaps a present they really want at the end of a school year. But make sure you always set these goals so that they can start to understand the importance of consistency.
Create a Routine
Familiarity and repetition will ensure that your child retains the information they need to succeed in a test or exam. So it’s wise to create a routine that’s broken into a number of smaller steps, paired with regular breaks and pauses so they don’t space out during it all.
If you do not have a routine, your child will be less likely to plan out their test/exam properly. This can see them spend too much time on one answer that’s worth less marks than another. If they are used to a routine, they will be more confident in their ability to manage time effectively. They will be less worried going into it and therefore succeed.
Recognise Their Achievements
There are a number of simple ways that you can recognise your child’s achievements. For example, positive reinforcement will signal that they are doing the right thing. If they have completed a piece of homework and gotten a good score, praise them verbally and physically. It could be a thumbs up and positive remark: “Well done, keep it up!”, then throw in some affection with a hug. Then you can also display their good work for the whole family to see. A reward system for exemplary achievements should be used on top of that to have something to work towards. Finally, give them a treat every once in a while for the bigger accomplishments.
Be Fair and Flexible
Don’t chastise your child for the mistakes they make. Instead, work with them to get to the bottom of the problem and find solutions that help them to not make them again. Getting things wrong is a part of learning, after all! We as parents have to accept that and look for ways to help them improve.
If they do poorly on a test or exam, the same thing applies. A positive atmosphere and mood will only boost their motivation and will to succeed. A negative one will see them become uninterested and much less willing to try. Show them the importance of self-independence as well. They can’t rely on you when in a test or exam, now can they?!
How Does Tutoring Get Them Back On Track?
As parents, we won’t always have the time to teach our children to the levels we want. It’s perfectly acceptable for you to get help in this regard; that’s why we offer our services in the first place. Tutoring is designed to make your life a lot easier and motivate students and improve their grades.
Tutoring is flexible and affordable – you can fit it into your schedule as well as your budget. Unsure if we are the right tutoring centre for your child? Read our testimonials to understand how we’ve helped other students over the years. We are proven time and time again to have improved students’ results and motivation.
If you think your child needs a little extra help during the winter, then please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us today at Aim High Tuition to help them secure a bright future!