Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Please or to access all these features

Parenting

For free parenting resources please check out the Early Years Alliance's Family Corner.

How do you motivate your dc to try their best at things?

1 reply

Earlybird · 20/10/2009 16:06

DD is a capable child, but sometimes lacks in focus/motivation.

I want her to enjoy herself, but I feel impatient and agitated as I watch her drift around the pool at extracurricular swim squad (signed up at her request), when she plays football at school (and trots around the field keeping well away from the ball on purpose), when she rushes through her maths and spelling in a slapdash manner (and gets things she absolutely knows wrong due to carelessness).

She loves music (again, lessons at her request), but I have to nag her to practise, and then i'll find her daydreaming instead of getting on with things.

She does well when she tries, but often she lacks motivation, and simply doesn't focus. I don't want to turn her into an uber-competitive child, but want her to concentrate and try so that she is doing what she is capable of.

Any suggestions? Anyone else with similar experiences that can offer advice would be much appreciated. (She is 8.9, btw)

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Reallytired · 20/10/2009 17:29

Prehaps you could use a timer for homework. Ie. she has to stay at the table for at least 15 minutes or however long you think she should spend on a worksheet.

Praise for working hard, rather than achievement. Don't tell her that she is clever, as she can not change her innate ablity.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread