Provide rewards. No, I don't think there is anything wrong with this. Your rewards don't have to be big; play their favorite game, allow them to pick the dinner menu, do one of their chores, have a movie night with dinner in front of the TV...
Give specific instructions if you are after a specific result. Children work better when they know exactly what’s expected. If you say do better on your spelling next time, what is better? 80% correct or 95% correct? Tell them what 'better' is.
Set short term and long term goals for your children or with your children (usually they can understand this concept fully around the 4th or 5th grade). Write the goals down so you can look back (together) and see what they have accomplished. Goals can be: picking out their clothes and dressing themselves before coming for breakfast, picking up their toys without being told, school work related, neatness, saving money, learning a musical instrument, learning a new skill, responsibility...
Create a team atmosphere. Children like to feel apart of the family. Work together, side by side helping each other throughout the day.
Make a point to recognize accomplishments and goals in the moment and in front of your spouse. Create a certificate to be handed out at the end of the week for the child who worked the hardest, the child who had the best attitude or for the child who made the most improvement in an area they were struggling with.
Don’t expect your children to do things your way. Allow your child to be creative, you might learn something in the process too.
Often a child doesn’t realize what they’re doing wrong. Address the issue when things are going well. Most children want to do things correctly and will make an effort once they know how to do it.
School is most enjoyable when it doesn’t feel treacherous or overwhelming. Give your children the tools they need to excel. Learn their learning style, be creative in your teaching. Let your children pick a topic and dig into it with them full force using the same topic to teach history, writing, spelling... Learning doesn't only come in the form of text books and work sheets.
Give your child the opportunity for more responsibility. Let them know that hard work will pay off.
1 comment:
Seems like you have been homeschooling for years! Great wisdom as always!! Thank you!
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