how to motivate your child to do homework

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How to help your child get motivated in school.

Strategies you can use to help kids work up to their potential

Writer: Danielle Cohen

Clinical Experts: Laura Phillips, PsyD, ABPdN , Ken Schuster, PsyD , Kristin Carothers, PhD

What You'll Learn

• Why do some kids have trouble getting motivated in school?
• How can parents help their children try harder in school?

It’s common for kids to lack motivation in school. Sometimes, this happens because the child has ADHD, anxiety, social challenges, or a learning disability. But other times, kids without a diagnosable problem still have trouble living up to their potential in school. Here are a few ways that parents can encourage kids to put in more effort at school.

Start by showing kids that you care about their schoolwork. Check in with them about how classes are going. Let them know that you’re there if they need homework help. Ask what they’re learning and what they like (and don’t like) about the assignments. With older kids, be sure to give them space, too. If they sense that you’re pressuring them, they might end up feeling resentful and less motivated.

Using positive reinforcement helps. You don’t need to give kids big rewards, but even small ones like a high five or a few extra minutes of screen time can make a difference. It’s also important to praise effort, not results. For example, praise your child for finishing a tough assignment or taking a class that might be hard. Nobody gets top grades all the time, so make sure your child knows you don’t expect perfection.

You can also bring in reinforcements if schoolwork is becoming a source of conflict for you and your child. You could hire an older student at your child’s school or a nearby college to help monitor homework and ease stress on the family. Talking to your child’s teacher can also give you insight into their behavior and help you work as a team to encourage them.

Finally, be sure to keep tabs on your own feelings. If you’re getting very frustrated or angry about your child’s school performance, a therapist or support group can help.

If you have a child who is struggling in school and doesn’t seem to be motivated to make an effort, the first thing you want to do is explore whether there is some obstacle getting in his way. Learning issues , social challenges, attention or emotional problems can all cause kids to disengage academically.

But not all kids who are underperforming in school—clearly not living up to their potential—have a diagnosable problem . And there are a number of things parents can do to help motivate kids to try harder.

Get involved

As a parent, your presence in the academic life of your child is crucial to their commitment to work. Do homework with them, and let them know that you’re available to answer questions. Get in the habit of asking them about what they learned in school, and generally engage them academically. By demonstrating your interest in your child’s school life, you’re showing them school can be exciting and interesting. This is especially effective with young kids who tend to be excited about whatever you’re excited about. Teenagers can bristle if they feel you are asking too many questions, so make sure you are sharing the details of your day, too. A conversation is always better than an interrogation.

Likewise, it’s important to stay involved but give older kids a little more space. If you’re on top of your kid all the time about homework, they may develop resistance and be less motivated to work—not to mention the strain it will put on your relationship.

Use reinforcement

Many parents are nervous about rewarding kids for good work , and it’s true that tangible rewards can turn into a slippery slope. But there are ways to use extrinsic motivation that will eventually be internalized by your kid. “Kids respond really well to social reinforcers like praises, hugs, high fives, and those kinds of things,” says Laura Phillips , PsyD, a neuropsychologist at the Child Mind Institute. “Then they start to achieve because it feels good for them.”

Ken Schuster , PsyD, a neuropsychologist at the Child Mind Institute, encourages parents to use rewarding activities that would have probably occurred either way but placing them after a set amount of time doing homework. He suggests treats that are easy to provide but that your child will enjoy, such as going for ice cream or sharing a candy bar. He also recommends breaking work up into chunks and using small breaks as rewards for getting through each chunk.

Reward effort rather than outcome

The message you want to send is that your respect hard work. Praising kids for following through when things get difficult, for making a sustained effort, and for trying things they’re not sure they can do successfully can all help teach them the pleasure of pushing themselves. Praise for good grades that come easily can make kids feel they shouldn’t have to exert themselves.

Help them see the big picture

For older kids who have developed an understanding of delayed gratification, sometimes simple reminders of their long-term goals can help push them. It can help many high school seniors who slack off after getting into college to remind them that they could lose their acceptance if their grades drop too much, or they might not be prepared for college courses. “Linking school up with their long-term goals can make the work feel more personally fulfilling,” explains Dr. Phillips.

Let them make mistakes

No one can get A’s on every test or perfect score on every assignment. While kids need encouragement, and it’s healthy to push them to try their best, know that setbacks are natural . Sometimes the only way kids learn how to properly prepare for school is by finding out what happens when they’re unprepared.

Get outside help

One way to take a little tension away from your relationship with your child is to find an older student (either at their school or a nearby college) to help them out with work. Most will charge pretty low rates, and the fact that they’re closer to your kid’s age may make it more likely they’ll listen to what they say.

“Homework was a source of conflict for us,” says Elizabeth, whose son Alex has ADHD . Elizabeth hired a few Barnard students to help Alex do his homework on certain nights, she recalls. “He behaved a lot better with them, and it was money well spent for me because I wasn’t fighting, and I wasn’t stressed out.”

Make the teacher your ally

Another one of the most important things you can do for your child is to work with their teacher. The teacher might have additional insight about how to motivate your child or what they might be struggling with. Likewise, you can share any strategies or information that you have.

When her son was in lower school and only had one teacher, Elizabeth would call his teacher before the first day, introducing herself and alerting the teacher that her son had ADHD and that he found it hard to focus. She would give the teacher little tips that she had found were useful with Alex: Writing multi-step directions on the board, tapping him on the shoulder while walking past to make sure he was paying attention and other small tweaks that would be useful to any young child but are especially essential to one with ADHD.

“Make sure that both school and home are of one accord,” stresses Kristin Carothers, PhD, a clinical psychologist. Dr. Carothers often sets up a system she calls the daily report card. With this system, the child gets points from their teacher for things like completing work and following directions the first time they get them. Then they bring those points home, where their parents give them small rewards, such as extra time on the iPad or playing a game together.

Get support for yourself

It can be just as frustrating to watch your child withdraw from school as it can be difficult for the kid themself to focus. Elizabeth says that she often feels judged as a parent for having a son who struggles so much in school.

Some schools have support groups for parents of kids who are less motivated, and if your child’s school doesn’t, Elizabeth encourages setting one up. “It’s very comforting to hear that you’re not alone,” she says. “It’s also helpful to hear people who have gone ahead of you talk about how to navigate the school’s system, find a therapist, and talk to teachers.”

“If you’re feeling yourself getting really angry or frustrated with your kids, take a step back,” Dr. Carothers recommends. “Put things into context.”

It’s also important to keep your goals in perspective: Your child may not become a star student. Make sure to focus on the effort they put in and the commitment they show instead of the outcome. If you expect perfect achievement from a child who struggles in school, you’ll drive yourself crazy.

“I’m not trying to get my child to be someone he’s not,” Elizabeth says about her efforts to help her son. “I just want him to reach his potential.”

Frequently Asked Questions

You can motivate your child to do homework by letting them know you’re available to answer any questions they might have and that you see how hard they’re working. You can also reward them with small treats, like going out for ice cream, after they finish a certain amount of homework.

To motivate a child to do well in school, use positive reinforcement such as hugs and high fives, reward their effort rather than specific outcomes, and help them make the connection between current effort and achieving long-term goals such as getting into college.

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Does Your Child Refuse To Do Homework? Teachers Share 6 Helpful Tips for Parents

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Do you remember the years when it seemed like homework was a part of your daily routine? For many of us with kids, diving into homework for the first time may bring up some old feelings from our own school days. I used to love doing schoolwork at home up until middle school when having to complete homework for six classes seemed overwhelming. Besides that, I was interested in everything that impacted pre-teens , like gossip and crushes. That seemed more important than keeping up with homework.

So it should come as no surprise when our own kids have a hard time with homework and act like they’d prefer to do anything else. Perhaps, they struggle with focusing at home or understanding a subject. Not to mention some subjects are taught differently today, so it can also be tough for parents to help with homework.

It may feel easier for them to protest than to admit why they dislike homework. This can feel frustrating for you as the parent. Whether their protests look like throwing temper tantrums or simply refusing to do the work, we talked to teachers Aimee Scott (third grade) and Krista Luedtke (sixth grade) and they shared six tips that’ll help you get your kids interested in homework. 

How to Motivate Your Child To Do Homework

Communicate with your kid’s teacher.

Scott and Luedtke agreed it’s important to discuss any concerns you notice with your child’s teacher. “The first thing to do is talk to your child’s teacher and let them know your concerns,” said Scott. If they’re refusing to complete homework, Luedtke said, “It may be that your child is getting plenty of class time to complete their work but may not be using it wisely.” If that’s the case, Scott said sometimes teachers would give out alternate assignments if that might help inspire a kiddo to complete homework. Or some teachers offer partial or full credit for showing the work, even if the answer isn’t correct.

Talk positively about school

It’s normal for kids to struggle with different school subjects. In fact, you may have struggled with understanding things like history or math yourself. However, Luedtke suggested that you avoid making negative comments about your experience in order to relate to your child. “This can instantly tell your child that school is negative or that they too are bad at math,” she said. If you are frustrated or crying over your kid’s homework , Luedtke suggested looking it up yourself—either through school resources or a Google search—or reaching out to the teacher.

Source: Canva

Create a fun learning space at home for homework

If you haven’t tried this already, Luedtke suggested creating a space at home that allows your kid to focus on homework. “ Whether it is a desk in their bedroom or simply a dedicated space at the kitchen counter, be sure your child has a hard surface to work on, bright light, and minimal distractions,” she said. You know your kid more than anyone. So, you may have to identify and remove their distractions before creating a learning space for them to do their homework.

To minimize the chance your kid will associate this space with the work they’ve been uninterested in completing, you  can add interesting elements to it. “By adding cute posters, a fun lamp, readily available school supplies or a comfy chair, the space be ‘fun,'” said Luedtke. She personally loves to search for Pinterest ideas that are centered around creating a positive, safe space for kids to do homework.

As always, having a routine for your kid helps them develop positive habits as well. By incorporating homework into the usual after-school routine, kids come to expect it and might be more willing to get their assignments done before moving on to something else. 

download this free, printable chart to keep kids' after-school tasks on track

Consider soft background music

I know you’re probably thinking, “I thought minimal distractions is important!” It is, but if your child isn’t easily distracted by background noise, you may find that playing soft music is beneficial for them. Luedtke said, “As a classroom teacher, I’ve noticed that some students really thrive when they have background music playing. Not only can this help with focus, but it can put them in a good mood.”

One way to look at this is to think about how you respond to music. Maybe you’re the mom who listens to music while cleaning your home. Not only do you enjoy hearing your favorite tunes, but it may also help you feel more productive. If this is true for you, then it may also apply to your child.

Utilize visual tools that show your child’s progress

You may find that your child responds well to visual aids that show their daily or weekly homework progress. For example, “If you want your child to read for 20 minutes each night, you can put a timer on your phone or the TV,” said Luedtke. However, she cautioned, “Sometimes this can distract children as well, so use your best judgment.” Should your child become distracted by the timer on your phone or television, Luedtke suggested you try utilizing the visual tools on Classroomscreen.com . There are different resources available that you may find work better for you and your child.

Another tool you can utilize is a printable homework template that allows you and your child to see their homework progress in real-time. “This can be kept on your fridge, and your child can mark off each day they complete their work. Visual trackers are powerful for children,” said Luedtke. Scott also agreed and said, “They can add a sticker or a stamp to the chart.”

4 animals available

a homework tracker can help them visualize their progress each day

Create small goals and celebrate your kid’s completion of homework

And now, the moment you’ve been waiting for—the completion of your child’s homework. Scott said, “I suggest parents try setting small goals. For example, break assignments up into sections and reward them with a piece of candy.”

Alternatively, Luedtke said, “Celebrate your child by going out for pizza on Fridays or letting them have a friend over. Kids really, really like to work towards a goal—especially if there is a reward at the end.”

If your child gets easily frustrated with their homework or doesn’t want to complete it, helping them can be tough. If you ask yourself daily, “Does it get easier?” know you’re not alone. In those moments, try to look at it from your child’s perspective. They’re constantly experiencing information overload, just like us. This can cause them to avoid anything that feels similar at home.

Will it require a lot of patience and consistency to help your kid navigate completing their homework? Of course. But hopefully, some of these teacher-approved tips can help make it just a little bit less painful.

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Motivating Children to Do Their Homework: Parent’s Guide (English and Spanish)

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Your child gets home after a long day at school and you ask, “Do you have any homework?” Does your child complain and say something like, “Yes, but I don’t want to do it!” or “Yes, but it’s too hard”? What happens next? If you’re like many parents, you soon find yourself in an argument that may end in your child doing the homework, but you’re both mad. 

Do you often wonder whether there’s a better way? The purpose of this guide is to show you how to motivate your child to do their homework in a peaceful, positive way. It is provided in English and in Spanish.

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How to Motivate your Child to do Homework: 5 Simple Ideas that work

For a lot of parents, the scariest thing would probably be their beloved school going child coming to their room with a bunch of undone home work sheets the night before their submission date. The second most scary thing would possibly be a ghost or something. After all, what could cause an adrenaline rush better? If your otherwise naughty child gives you puppy-dog eyes and comes with a giant smile plastered on their face, you don’t need any amusement park ride for an adventure; you know you’re in for an all-nighter or a hurried homework completion session.

If you’re a parent whose child often turns their back on homework and comes to you at the eleventh hour and barely manages to complete it, you’re not alone. Whether one likes to do it or not, homework constitutes an important part of one’s academic life. If your child is not the super rare, highly punctual, organised and academically high-spirited sort, you would know about the qualms associated with homework and the conflict it begets in families. So, how does one really inspire one’s child to get to successfully do their homework? To address the elephant in the room, we must first take a look at the ideas kids with different temperaments and personalities have towards homework and why they don’t find it worth completing.

A few of the reasons why children aren’t motivated to do their homework are:

• They are usual procrastinators who don’t want to know why it is given and how they would be benefited by it in the long term.
• They simply forget that they have been given homework.
• They are finding the space at home to be not so conducive for doing their homework and also think they lack the necessary technological support to aid them.
• They are overly attached to gadgets or playing video games because of which they don’t devote as much time to studying and completing the home work.
• They are more inclined towards activities outside of school, such as karate, yoga, music and painting classes or have a demanding schedule because of those pursuits.

The truth is, there is no ideal way of luring or tricking kids into doing their homework with temporary rewards like increased screen-time, gifting their expensively favourite video games or toys, or even the promise of buying them a swanky new bicycle. You most probably will see them going back to square one and ditching their homework as and when they’ve exhausted your captivating rewards.

As a concerned parent, the best thing that one can do is identify what’s causing kids to make faces when it comes down to home work. This is especially true in the context of maths homework. Given the fact that mathematics needs to be studied almost every day for students to be able to learn the sheer variety of concepts that it has, practice and timely homework are a must.

By dealing with the crux of kids’ aversion towards homework, parents can come up with a solution that permanently fixes the problem and motivates them to do their homework not just once, but consistently, without any crutches or attachment to rewards.

Tips to Motivate Your Child to do Homework

The following remedies might prove to be of great help if you’re a parent wanting to sweeten your child’s bitter relationship with homework.

Explaining to them the rationale behind regularly doing homework and its upside:

Most kids would think of homework as an unnecessary and painstaking activity. Parents can change this perception if they successfully show their kids that homework is meant for their greater good. Putting things on hold and lazing around is a natural human tendency, but becomes a source of tension when one keeps on postponing tasks. When kids persistently solve their homework maths problems every day, they’re hardwiring whatever they learn through doing their homework into their brain. By doing this, students won’t feel nearly as helpless or stressed on the day before their maths exam as they would otherwise, by finding themselves toppling with the weight of pending math homework. After all, it’s better to do the math little by little and then take the exam and have a fruitful aftermath!

Setting daily reminders for checking homework:

Let us admit. The best of us forgets to do things. While some kids may be masters of mischief and have an otherwise strong memory when it comes down to their monkey business, they may display a newly weakened memory when asked about their homework. It almost is like magic, and a great spell that can work to counteract this magic is reminders. Whether they are in the form of sticky notes pasted at spots where kids can see them or digital reminders found in your smartphones, you can use them to remind children about their homework. Even if your child is one that devotedly does his or her homework and genuinely forgets about it once in a while, reminders can and do help. If they are successful able to finish their homework, they’re eligible for a hearty praise that would further motivate them to do it in the future as well by giving them a sense of accomplishment.

Creating a tranquil atmosphere at home for kids to be able to study and approach you very easily:

A great deal of parents are completely aware of and keep a track of their child’s activities and progress in school. Sailing through a lot of personal, familial, professional and social obligations can be a task for anyone, but a responsible parent must pay heed to their little ones’ learning needs through it all. Let your kids relax for a while once they come back home from school. If you nag them and ask them to take to doing their homework while they’re still reeling from their schoolwork, it is going to backfire. Let them take a break and then you could talk to them about their homework.

Familial conflicts and halfhearted parenthood can create an environment in the house that is nowhere conducive to a child’s mental health, and could distract them from studying. A lot of mental calculation goes into doing maths homework, and parents must ensure a calm atmosphere in the house. Maybe your child is a shy one and maybe he or she needs more attention. Since kids won’t always tell you or talk to you about what’s bothering them or what they need, you need to pay attention to the little things such as the presence of ample of stationery items and geometric tools and calculators. Parents must take time out of their schedule and sit with their children and help them in their homework. They can and should try and explain to them basic concepts in the subject, if they ever need help at all. This would give two benefits. One would be of a bettered bonding between the parents and children and the other would be an increased interest in doing homework. ( Also Read: Understanding the Teenage Brain: What’s going on inside? .)

Limit their screen time to a healthy quantity:

The homes of a lot of people on the face of the earth today are laden with gadgets of different sorts. While it is understandable that kids in the present day revel and deserve to revel in entertainment that gaming consoles or smartphones and tablets provide, they must be taught well to exploit the functions of those devices that can enrich them in educational knowledge as well.

If kids continue to have unrestrained access to such devices, they will most likely be immersed in them irredeemably. This will most likely prevent them from doing their homework. Hence, parents must ensure that kids have a healthy amount of screen time and know when to intervene.

Even if a child is fond of playing outdoors with friends and takes little interest in studies, he/ she must be explained how physical activity is indeed a great thing, but one must devote their time to home work and studying as well. Knowing when to intervene in their kids’ activities and knowing how to do it softly yet triumphantly is one skill that the parents must conjure.

Create a well turned out timetable for managing kids’ extracurricular to create a balance between their school life and the life beyond school:

Parents almost always feel proud when their children take to learning things. It is commendable when one’s child excels at school, and parents find their hearts swelling with pride when he or she blooms even in the activities that they undertake while they’re not studying. One can learn to paint, to play the guitar or the piano, to learn to ride a horse, learn singing or even learn martial arts and a parent would only be proud. It does become a problem though when kids find themselves stretched in between and entangled in two things. To prevent kids from having a tiring schedule and to enable them to do their homework calmly, a carefully designed timetable will only help. Parents can sit with their kids and address the issue of time management. By making a time table, kids can devote the correct amount of time to whatever they are pursuing, while ensuring their homework and studying doesn’t take a hit.

Often, the strife created by incomplete homework pushes kids to be on the brink of tears. It also frustrates parents and at times leads to a face-off between the two parties. Realising that a child can be motivated to do their homework with steady and continual efforts is imperative for the parents. As a parent, if you feel your child is genuinely overwhelmed with homework even after having a shot at it, you know it’s time to talk to the teacher and see if the quantity of homework that he or she is giving in the school is the pink of their mental and physical health or is plainly excessive.

A robust quantity of homework is essential for your child, and he or she can be encouraged to do it with channeled efforts of yours sooner or later. Hold their hand whenever they need it, and you probably wouldn’t be too far from marveling at their academic transformation with regular homework.

7 Creative Ways to Motivate Your Kids to Do Their Homework

It's hard to get kids excited about things they don't want to do, like going to sleep, eating their veggies, and, yes, doing their homework . While some children are natural overachievers who enjoy school and relish in homework time, many children will rebel. And usually, once your child has it in their mind that they don't want to do something, it can be difficult to convince them otherwise. To help with this, we've come up with seven creative solutions to help get them excited about doing their homework (and doing it well!).

1. Make a Colorful Workstation

Any adult who has a desk knows that having a colorful, inspiring workspace can really help you with creativity and productivity. The same can be said for a child's workstation! Whether they have their own desk in their room or have a workspace in a common area of your home, decorate it with things they are inspired by (colored pencils, a fun eraser, etc.) so that homework time is more fun.

2. Give Them a Reward

Rewarding your child for doing their homework can be a little controversial, but when done right, it's very effective. Some parents choose to reward their children with food or toys, but the reward can even be as simple as an hour of TV time or a creative, fun activity. Whatever your child's natural instincts, abilities, and interests, choose a reward that will motivate them to finish their homework.

3. Praise Your Child

Rewards don't necessarily have to be tangible objects. If you're uncomfortable with physical rewards, consider using praise as a reward. Children are often concerned with pleasing their parents, so if you establish that completing homework results in praise, they may be more willing to do their homework on a regular basis.

4. Establish a Homework Routine

Most children work better when a routine is established, so consider setting aside a certain time for homework every day after school. You can also let them have an hour or so after they get home to watch TV or have a snack first.

5. Let Your Child Decide When Homework Time Is

It can be hard to make children do something they don't want to do, so letting them have some level of agency and choice when it comes to their homework can really help motivate them. Instead of telling them when homework time is, sit them down and let them choose what works best for them. Maybe your child prefers to do their homework immediately when they get home from school, whereas some children need a break beforehand.

6. Encourage Using Technology

There are likely many ways your child uses an iPad or computer that are not homework-related, but instead of telling them to put down their devices during homework time, see if there are ways they can use technology to help them. The internet can be a powerful tool for studying and research, and there are lots of apps available that can help your child with spelling, math, and other subjects.

7. Make Homework Their Responsibility

Homework is a great way to teach your children responsibility . Ultimately, the only person who is impacted by whether or not they complete their homework is your child. Make sure they understand the implications of not doing their homework and, if necessary, let them find out the hard way. Making homework your child's responsibility will help them to see the direct results of their actions.

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The Homework Struggle: How to Encourage Kids to Do Homework

• September 21, 2017

Most parents have been there—the nightly homework struggle.

Students rarely look forward to completing their homework assignments after the last school bell has rung for the day. However, homework is part of being a student—and one that has an impact on future academic performance. This makes it important to figure out how to encourage kids to do their homework without a nightly quarrel.

The Importance of Homework

Homework supplements the education that children are getting in the classroom. Its role is to increase comprehension and give students the chance to study, practice, and understand the material. This type of “outside-the-classroom” thinking can help increase the development of positive study habits, improve cognition and memory, and encourage time management.

So, why the resistance?

Students often have trouble seeing the value in homework. After all, they just spent an entire day in school, so why should they sacrifice their valuable free time to do more work? Other factors, from attention and motivation issues to poor time management and organizational skills can also lead to students having trouble completing their homework.

How to motivate kids to do homework

Students who don’t do their homework or continually battle with their parents about it often experience higher levels of stress. This stress can lead to a lack of motivation both inside and outside of the classroom, causing them to fall behind. It’s important for parents to take an active role in making sure students complete their homework so their performance doesn’t suffer.

How can you make homework time a smoother process? Rather than making your child do homework, focus on how you can make homework more a more enjoyable experience for your child. Don’t worry—it’s easier than it sounds!

Follow these tips on how encourage good homework habits in your child.

Create structure

Creating a schedule your child can follow makes it easier to get him or her to sit down and complete homework assignments. Set a time and create a special study space for homework to be completed, making it part of the child’s nightly routine.

Give kids a break after school

Don’t force your child to do homework as soon as he or she gets home. Let him or her have some time after school to give his or her mind a break before starting homework. This break can help improve motivation and focus when it is time for your child to do his or her homework.

Provide motivation

Show encouragement and appreciation of your child’s hard work when he or she has completed his or her homework. Something as small as a high five or words of praise can boost your child’s motivation. You can also offer small rewards, like a trip to the store or a special treat.

Lead by example

While you child does his or her homework, don’t engage in other preferred activities, such as watching TV. Read a book, do some research, or scratch a chore off your to-do list.

Talk about the benefits

Rather than yelling, have a calm discussion with your child about why homework is important. Fighting with your child will increase stress and frustration, leaving him or her unable and unwilling to focus on homework.

No More Homework Arguments!

By encouraging—rather than forcing—your child to complete his or her homework, you can help your child become a more organized, proactive student. This will save you a lot of arguments down the line, letting your child use his or her energy to reach his or her potential rather than avoiding homework.

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How to Get Your Kids to Do Their Homework

Last Updated: May 10, 2023 References

This article was co-authored by Klare Heston, LCSW and by wikiHow staff writer, Sophia Latorre . Klare Heston is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker based in Cleveland, Ohio. With experience in academic counseling and clinical supervision, Klare received her Master of Social Work from the Virginia Commonwealth University in 1983. She also holds a 2-Year Post-Graduate Certificate from the Gestalt Institute of Cleveland, as well as certification in Family Therapy, Supervision, Mediation, and Trauma Recovery and Treatment (EMDR). This article has been viewed 466,248 times.

Parents around the world would love the magic formula to encourage kids to do their homework. Alas, it's not as simple as waving a wand, but there are some methods for encouraging your kids to develop and stick to a regular homework routine. For some parents, effective encouragement will also be about changing your own approach to homework enforcement. Don't worry, it's not hard, it's just about taking a moment to work it through. Create a homework space and schedule, establish clear expectations, rewards, and consequences, and approach homework positively.

Creating a Homework Space and Schedule

• For example, if your kids do their homework at the dinner table, unpack the box to give them access to their supplies when it’s time to do homework. Pack up the box and move it off the table when they’re finished.

• Allow your kids to have a say in creating the schedule. If they feel like their opinions have been heard and considered, they’re more likely to stick to the plan.
• Agree on homework-free times, such as Friday nights or one weekend day, and allow them to plan how they use this free time.

Establishing Expectations, Rewards, and Consequences

• Occasional rewards for a special project done really well can be a great boost but regular material rewards are best avoided.
• When your child does their homework, tell them that you are really proud of them for being organized, timely, proactive, etc. It is important to define the exact reason why you are proud so that they know what to keep up.

• Keep your message simple, reminding your kids what you have agreed upon together when discussing how they'd approach homework and expressing both disappointment and a hope to see things return to normal the next day.

• For example, if your child forgets their homework or books at school, don’t spend hours tracking down a maintenance worker to let you into the building so you can retrieve their forgotten items. If they can find a way to get them, great, and if not, they’ll have to suffer the consequences.

• Naturally, if you have a child with learning or other disabilities, you may need to adjust this hands-off approach. Don't be afraid to seek support from professional people skilled in your child's particular disability; they may be able to provide you with additional strategies.

Approaching Homework Positively

• You should still keep a positive attitude toward homework. Don’t agree with your kid when they say, “Homework sucks. I wish I didn’t have to do it.” Instead, reply with something like, “I’m sorry you feel that way, but once you finish your homework you can invite a friend over.”

• For example, if your child wants to be a marine biologist, tell them that they’ll need good grades in school to get into a college where they can earn a degree in biology, zoology, or ecology.
• For example, tell your would-be actor that they won’t be able to memorize their lines if they’re not a stellar reader. Encourage them to read and memorize parts of their textbook for practice.

Altering Your Own Involvement

Expert Q&A

• When the teacher asks that you have a part in your child's homework, do it! Working with your child's teacher will show your child that authority figures at school and home or on the same team. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0
• Encourage professional presentation and neatness. If they're producing messy homework, try to catch them in the process and encourage a neater effort. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• Keep up to date with your child's school life. Talk with their teacher regularly to ensure you know the purpose of your child's assignments and understand the rules in class. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://sparksofgenius.wordpress.com/2007/05/14/train-your-kids-to-do-homework-without-arguing/
• ↑ http://sparksofgenius.wordpress.com/2007/05/14/train-your-kids-to-do-homework-without-arguing/
• ↑ https://fosteringperspectives.org/fp_vol1no1/articles_vol1no1/ignoring_effective_way.htm
• ↑ https://www.empoweringparents.com/article/the-homework-battle-how-to-get-children-to-do-homework/
• ↑ https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/08/100819173846.htm
• ↑ http://www2.ed.gov/parents/academic/involve/homework/part_pg2.html#2

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How to Motivate Your Child to Do Homework

by Robert Schramm | Jul 19, 2022 | Podcast

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Ask parents what the worst part about raising school age children is and, chances are, they’ll say it’s homework. After completing a full day of school, the last thing kids feel like doing is their homework, and the last thing parents want to do is fight them on it. No matter what behavior your kids are exhibiting towards homework, there are things you can to do motivate them, reinforce good behaviors, and apply the strategies I cover to your own unique situation.

Using positive reinforcement helps produce more of the behavior you want to see in your kids, including getting them to finish their homework. Finding a motivation that’s strong enough and occurs often enough can get your kid to complete their work on a day-by-day basis. Once you determine a good reinforcer, you’ll then need to decide how often to provide it for it to be effective. Kids are motivated by a variety of different things, and no two kids are alike. Some children are motivated by their parents’ attention while others would rather spend time alone or play video games. Breaking down homework into smaller, more manageable chunks may also help get the job done.

What’s Inside:

• Why using positive reinforcement makes homework worth doing.
• How to identify reinforcers and when to make them available.
• Homework strategies to use with younger children.

Mentioned in this episode

• Just7Steps.com/workshop

Robert: What is the worst part about raising school age children? Is it the homework? It’s the homework, isn’t it? Yep. I knew it was the homework. So let’s discuss all things homework today in just seven steps. 

Intro: Welcome to the Just Seven Steps podcast with Robert Schramm, a board-certified behavior analyst, educator, author and developer of the Seven Steps to Successful Parenting. For more than 20 years, Robert has been teaching parents and professionals how to support children and developing the values and priorities necessary to live a successful life. In this podcast, you’ll hear from some of the biggest experts in the fields of education, parenting and behavior analysis. So buckle in and get ready for a wild ride where you’ll learn to be your best in just seven steps. 

Robert: Hi, I’m Robert Schramm, a behavior analyst, education specialist, author and dad. And I’m also the developer of the Seven Steps to Instructional Motivation. Each week, I provide you with helpful information based on that just seven steps approach. So if you haven’t already subscribe to my YouTube channel, take a second. Do it now. I promise you’ll be glad you did. In today’s episode we will be talking about homework. Man, I personally do not like homework. I’m against it in general. I mean, if our kids are going to spend up to what it’s like 30 hours a week at school, how is it okay that we’re asking them to do work outside of that already? Pretty substantial amount of time. I know we have antilabor laws in this country that don’t allow our kids to have to work. But isn’t it isn’t going to school just a form of work? And isn’t 6 hours a day enough for them to do all they need to do? Well, apparently it’s not because just like you, my kids are finding themselves inundated with homework, studying, and projects that take up what little free time they have left. To be honest, I’m a little surprised that more kids don’t just start refusing to do their homework. There are quite a few, though, that do fight homework, and parents are left having to somehow battle their way through making their kids work for one or sometimes 2 hours or more after they’ve already completed a full day of school. So today on the Just Seven Steps podcast, I’m going to take some time to talk about all of the tips and hints that become inherent for folks who understand and use the Seven Steps to Instructional Motivation with their children, and how you can use these concepts to stop having to battle your kids on a daily basis and to find ways to motivate and reinforce better homework habits and behavior. Now, homework is a bit of a large topic because depending on the age of your child, you might be dealing with having to do worksheets and basic skills. Or it could be working on advanced skills that you may not even know how to do yourself. Additionally, how does studying for tests fit into all of this? But luckily, the things that work to motivate and reinforce behavior work across the board for all types of behavior, including all types of homework. You just need to take in some of these concepts and figure out how to apply them to your child’s current situation. 

Robert: The first concept I want to talk about is offering positive reinforcement for behavior that you want to see more of. This is the easiest way to make effort on homework worth it to your child. And let’s be real. We understand why your child should want to do their homework and get good grades. We understand what their future holds and what will help them to have a better life. But we still have to find a way to consistently, day after day, convince them that it’s in their long term best interest to give up free time, game time or friend time doing homework. So if we can just find a motivator that is strong enough and occurs often enough to give them a reason to want to complete their assigned homework, that’s by far the easiest path to progress. So what are some meaningful, strong motivators that your child might find worth the effort it would take to do their homework on a day by day basis? And how do we make that reinforcer available often enough to maintain that motivation throughout the week? Well, some of my class clients there, we’ve always looked for these sort of super reinforcers that can offer a pull on a child’s behavior from day to day. And we’ve come up with some examples that I think I can share with you that’ll be helpful. Now, I’ve had kids who’ve been willing to start doing homework daily without complaining or stalling based on their desire to earn a Lego builder set such as Star Wars or Marvel or minions, airplane or spaceship models, the ability to join a club or a sports team, special vacation opportunities like a weekend trip to a water park or amusement park, favorite special meals or restaurant trips on Friday nights. The ability to go to the movies or have a sleepover on the weekend and in some cases, money to buy the items that are important to your child, such as clothing or shoes or toys or even candy. If it is important for your child to have access to these items that are not normally available to them, but that they now realize are becoming available only due to their willingness to complete homework tasks. You should see them put more effort into daily homework. And as these items are novel and not normally expected, when they would work as a motivator, your child will carry a positive attitude with them as well as they see these as worthwhile bonuses instead of just having to pay for things that they used to get for free. And this is true as long as you set it up correctly. So what do we have to do with this strong, meaningful, out of the ordinary reinforcer once we find it? Well, we need to consider how we will allow the child to work towards earning it in such a way that you can get maximum motivation out of it. This is especially important if there are prohibitive costs involved. I know some of those larger Lego sets can get pretty darn expensive. And I’ve had kids who work for a pair of Michael Jordan shoes, which can cost in the hundreds. 

Robert: In most cases, you want to identify how often you would be able to afford or willing to give access to this newly determined reinforcer. Is it every couple of days, once a week, once a month, or once every few months? The more often you can make the reinforcer available, the better, because immediacy is such an important aspect in the effectiveness of reinforcement. So here’s an example. Would you rather I give you $50 today or $60 a month? Depending on a lot of factors. You might choose the lower amount of money based on the fact that it’s a more immediate payoff. Again, our kids are the same. The further you push out access to reinforcement, the less value it’ll be making it less likely to affect their behavior now. So keep that in mind. But if you identify that the reinforcer will be available weekly or even every few days, you can assume it will have more pull than that same reinforcer would if it was only available, say, monthly. Scarcity in this instance is not our friend. And once you know what reinforcers you’re going to use and how often you’re able to give that reinforcer, you have to set up a way for you to track your child’s progress that keeps their eyes on the prize, so to speak. As you go from one day to the next, some form of token system or chart that tracks progress towards the larger goal is going to be helpful for both you and your child. So for each successful day of homework, will your child be earning a star on their star chart? A number of points based on how much they did or how well they completed it might be able to earn one or two or even three X’s on a chart, depending on the effort of the day. Can you offer them more access on days that they do homework without you needing to remind them or without complaining? I mean, technically we can set up to reinforce the behavior we want in the form we want to see it. I mean, what is most important to you? Is it independence? We can incentivize doing homework without bothering others. If it’s the quality of the work, we can incentivize how many they get correct on our checking it. If it’s the amount of work or the amount of time they put in, we can incentivize that as well. Once we know what the reinforcer is and we know how many tokens or stars or x’s they can earn per day, and we know about how long it will have to go before we can make it available to them, meaning weekly or monthly or longer. We can then determine how many tokens it would take to earn the item. Maybe we set it up that the child can earn between zero and five points per day based on their homework behavior. And if we know, we can only afford to be able to give them the item as a reinforcer monthly, then we’re looking at somewhere around 100 points to earn that item. This assumes four weeks in a month, five days in a week, and five possible points per day. You can then explain to your child what they can earn in just one month’s time if they’re able to earn five points per day. But it might take longer if they’re not able to get the full five points. 

Robert: Now, if this example were to end up being part of a plan, we’re going to have to determine if the child will find that getting that reinforcer monthly is going to be strong enough to push them to get the full effort at getting their five points each day. If we think there’s a chance that it’s not. There is, however, more that we can do. For example, in addition to adding the points earned each day to the grand total for the larger reinforcer, we can also offer reinforcement each evening depending on the number of points earned that day. So not only will the child receive five points towards the giant Lego set they want, but they can also get a TV show and popcorn with mom on days that they got a five. Or a TV show. On days that they get a four or nothing additional. On days that they get it three or less. Another additional motivator that can be added is a negative reduction consequence. For days that the child were to get two or less. For example, not only will the child not get their points towards the big prize or popcorn and a show on the days that they get three or less, we could also add the removal of access to something for days that they get a two or less. Maybe their iPhone is taken away for an hour. Or if they get a two or four the whole night for a one and four a day on the weekend if they get a zero. You see, there’s no limit to the ways we can start to differentiate and incentivize better and better homework behavior. Maybe it might make sense to offer an allowance based on the homework done. In this case, maybe you have a chart for the larger long term reinforcer and the child needs to earn, say, 50 X’s to gain access to that special reward. And you can add an allowance to that. Or maybe you can just do the allowance without the larger long term reinforcement. But either way, each day they can get a half an X, a full x, 1.5 or two axes depending on their homework behavior as defined by whatever aspects you want to incentivize. Then you can award a quarter per half x of allowance earned each day. That way, if your child gives their full two axes, that’s possible. They’re going to get close to their 50 for the larger reinforcer and or they’re going to earn a dollar a day towards money that they can spend on the weekends. But I don’t want you to worry. There’s no reason anything that we do here has to cost any money at all. All that has to happen is that you have to creatively find something meaningful that is important enough for your child to want to work for it. Attention kids might go out of their minds for a board game or a card game with mom and dad in the evenings. Escape kids might do everything possible during the week to not have to participate in a family activity on the weekend. Sensory kids might find the right fight through their homework blues for a chance to go to the park or the beach or somewhere that has a trampoline for them to jump on over the weekend. And there’s always the old standby, the one my mom finally figured out that began my behavior change as a young adult, which eventually led me to better grades and a college degree. She started to make my access to the family car dependent on my behavior around the house, including grades, homework, coming home on time, etc.. I discussed this time in my life in an earlier episode about developing respect in a parenting relationship. Check that episode out. It’s certainly going to be one of our most popular. 

Robert: Maybe your kid doesn’t need to have such a strong novel motivator in place for us to be successful. Perhaps you have a child who is enthralled with playing video games. Might it be possible to set up some rules about when those games can be played? What will motivate them to get their homework done in a timely fashion without the need for reminders and nagging on your part? For instance, what if your child was told that they could get all that they could only play their video games from after school until, say, 530, and then at 530, the Internet’s going to be turned off for dinner. Then you announced that homework has to be acceptably completed before they can turn the video games on. Then they know that each day they will have up to 2.5 hours of video game play, but only if they don’t have homework to finish first. And as they have homework, it will be in their best interest to get to it right away without you needing to prompt them or beg them or pester them. They know that each passing minute they’re not finished is a minute less that they’re going to be able to play Minecraft or Roblox or Fortnite. If it takes your child one hour to do their homework, they’re going to get 1.5 hours of computer time. But if they stall and delay and it doesn’t get done, they might not get any computer time. You can also add extra motivators like special desserts or after dinner activities that become available depending on how well or quickly they get their homework done. Of course, with this kind of plan, there is an inherent motivation to go quickly through the homework and do it sloppily without any concern for correctness. But you would need to be in charge of signing off on the quality of the work done before they can get to their video games. This sort of program has been has even been enough for me to see kids who start getting their homework done in school just to make sure they have as much free gaming time as possible when they get home. Now, you may not want your kid to get a full 2.5 hours of gaming time per day. But if they’re successful, getting their homework done every day and their grades are going up and you’re fighting less, it might be worth it. Besides, once you have a motivator that is working, you can start to adjust it a bit over time and find ways to limit their gaming time as well. Again, this is another way to motivate and reinforce homework that doesn’t cost any additional money to implement. 

Robert: Okay. So I’m going to switch gears here just a little bit and talk about some things that you can do for younger kids or kids who just don’t have the stamina to handle the amount of homework you’re currently having to ask them to do. To some degree, this conversation will be similar to some of what was talked about in my episode. On Getting Your Kids to Keep Their Room Clean. Another great episode. You should go back and watch if you can. If you haven’t seen or heard of that one yet, I’d recommend it. I could be wrong. I think it’s episode number two. But anyway, if this is the first of these episodes that you’re checking out, definitely go back to your podcast streamer and look up all of my episodes that are out there. They each run between 20 and 30 minutes and I cover so many great topics you won’t want to miss one. Anyway, back to the topic for today. For younger kids, there may be a struggle with endurance. Maybe they can do their homework, but the amount of time and effort it takes is just too much for them to handle all at one time. One thing you can do is break down their homework each day into manageable chunks. For example, take a math math worksheet and breaking into chunks containing only five problems each then. And instead of expecting them to do the full 30 minute as a hallmark to earn some reinforcement, you can just ask them to do five or ten minute chunks, depending on what you think they can handle, and then reinforce each chunk individually with some game time or computer time or a snack. Then when that reinforcement time is up, quickly return to an expectation for the next jump and repeat until the homework is finished for the day with lots of back and forth, fun and reinforcement throughout the process. As your child becomes more comfortable completing these chunks at their current size, you can begin to increase the size of the chunks a bit each week until they can average ten or 15 minutes per chunk before needing a reinforcement break. If you start this early enough, you can begin to train your child to handle more and more homework the way a runner trains to run longer and longer distances. Studying is kind of its own animal because studying really is harder to assess. How do you know if your child is not studying, studying poorly or just not able to learn the material being required? You can certainly incentivize time study, but that doesn’t help you to identify if your child even really knows how to study correctly, and you can motivate them to engage in lessons about study techniques. But even when a child is studying hard and studying correctly, they may for one reason or another, or for one subject or another, just not be able to retain the information necessary to get the good grades you’re hoping for. To some degree, we need to acknowledge our differences and the chance that your child either has a learning disability or at very least just isn’t going to be good at a specific subject. My daughter Zoe has found algebra to be particularly challenging for her to understand. I’m still motivating and incentivizing effort on her part, for her part and participation. I’m even offering reasons why she would want to ask me for help. But even with all of this, I’ve realized that I need to have a different level of expectation for her from math than her other subjects. And that’s okay. We all have strengths and weaknesses, and the last thing we want to do is to humiliate or pressure a child to do something they’re already giving their full effort into and are just not able to find success. Then you can pay for tutoring. You can motivate extra practice but the bottom line, whatever our goals are for our kids, we want them to be their goals as well. And if they show you a strong desire or strength in one area or the other, it behooves us as parents to let them take that lead at times and show us the things they can truly be excellent at. Now, nothing I talked about today is going to be easy to do if you aren’t able to know what your child is supposed to be doing. I mean, if you’re not privy to their expectations, it’s going to be hard for you to set up a plan that motivates them correctly. So finding a way to get that information from your child’s teacher will probably end up being pretty important. 

Robert: So let’s recap the tips from today. First, it’s always easiest if you can find a way to make doing homework worth it to your child. The best way to do that is to identify a strong novel reinforcer that you can add to their life. If they do well on their homework. You can also add daily reinforcers to help add additional pull on behavior. There’s a lot of free options as well, including taking the time your children are already playing important games or activities and letting that time be limited by how much time it takes them to do their homework. And finally, we discussed breaking homework down into shorter or smaller, more manageable chunks so that your child can build up a tolerance to doing more and more work at a time while still getting plenty of reinforcement throughout that process. Everything I’ve talked about here today is certainly doable, and with a few days determining what should work for you and organizing the plan, it will actually take you less time per day. Once they have motivation in place, then you’re currently spending, arguing and fighting with them. Not only will it take less effort and energy on your part, but you’ll see. You’ll see more success in your kids as well. So if you would like to learn more about how all of this works, come check out my free workshop entitled How to Get Your Kids to Listen Without Raising Your Voice or Nagging. It’s available at absolutely no cost to you and you can find it on our website at WWW dot just seven steps dot com backslash workshop. Hope to see you there. Thank you for taking the time to join me today on the Just Seven Steps podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please take just a moment to leave me a comment. Give a thumbs up. Share the video with others and subscribe to our YouTube channel so that you won’t miss out on any of our Just Seven Steps videos designed to help parents of children with challenges. Find your family’s path to progress. See you right here next week. 

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How do i motivate my child to turn in homework.

Motivation for things like homework can be hard for complex kids. How do you motivate your child to turn in homework?

Does your kid do their homework and then neglect to turn it in? Does that make you frustrated, but your child doesn’t seem to care? Here are some thoughts on helping kids turn in homework. It starts with a question about whether it’s even important to you.

Elaine: All right, so we have a question that we want to read to you from a mom who says, "How do I motivate my inattentive kid to do homework ?" But then she goes on to say, "Personally, I don't believe in homework. My kid spends six hours at school, gets home after 4 p.m., and then faces three to four hours of homework a day, so there's no down time, no time to spend with friends, or even just relax."

Diane: It's hard when our values are questioned –

Elaine: ...or are out of sync with what's expected.

Diane: Part of this is about understanding what your child really wants, and so it may be that your child's in line with you, and says, "I really don't want to do homework either." Or your child might be, "My gosh, I really want to get it done." A lot of our kids are focused on pleasing , and doing really well, and so that's the first thing, is to just check in and make sure you're in the same groove that your child is, on this.

The second piece of it is to know that you really do have choices in the matter, and it doesn't always feel like that, because one of the choices probably feels pretty stinky. But this is taking me back to the decision I made to let my son fail band class in 7th grade. It was a lot of work for him to fill out all those little things that said he practiced, and he actually practiced, but he was failing because he wasn't actually turning in his stuff. So we made the choice. I think that that's part of it, is just reflecting on what choices you do have, and being conscious about that.

Elaine: What I would add to that is bringing your kid into that conversation like we did. My son was in an exam period, and was really struggling with a paper that he didn't like the topic , he didn't like the book, he didn't like anything, and he was really having a hard time. I finally looked at him, and I said, "So what if you don't write it?" And he paused, and processed it, and figured it out, and then he came back and he said, "No, I'd lose two grades, too many grades – It's not worth it." But then when he went to finish the paper, he had a different motivation . It was his decision to do it, instead of just something he had to do, and that made a huge difference.

Bottom Line: At the end of the day, whether our kids do their homework, or choose to turn it in, is about how invested they are, and how reasonable it is. Start by getting clear on the real challenge before you focus on the goal of turning in homework.

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How to Motivate Your Child: Tips for Teaching Self-Motivation

Written by Ashley Crowe

• Parent Resources

• What is self-motivation for kids?
• Signs of an unmotivated child
• 7 tips for motivating children
• The importance of developing a growth mindset as a child
• What to avoid when trying to motivate your child
• How Prodigy Math can help you motivate your child

Self-motivation is the internal push to pursue goals and finish tasks without relying on others. It’s when you do something because you really want to get it done. This skill is priceless to learn and critical to success throughout life. It’s the key to leading a happy and fulfilling life. 

As parents, we can help teach our children how to be self-motivated. Self motivation can not only help kids thrive at school, like completing homework, but will also help them achieve their goals as they grow up. 

There are many things you can do to foster this internal motivation, and we’ve gathered together our favorite tips just for you.

Before you can help a child learn self-motivation, you need to understand where that lack of motivation comes from. 

If your child is unmotivated, it doesn’t mean they need to be disciplined or are destined to be a bad student. It’s more likely your child doesn’t find enjoyment in the activity or possibly has a fear of failure.

Some signs of an unmotivated child include:

• Lack of focus
• Slipping grades
• Making excuses to skip school
• Difficulty completing school work
• A change in your child’s behavior or mood, especially at school 

Sometimes these behaviors can actually be caused by other conditions such as mental health issues, burnout, or ADHD. These more serious issues should be ruled out before using the tips below.

But if your child is otherwise healthy and happy, read on for a few ways you can help them find their self-motivation. 

7 Tips for motivating children: nurturing your child’s intrinsic motivation

1. set goals together.

It’s best to focus on a mix of both short-term goals and long-term goals. Begin by brainstorming a list of goals that your child has. Then break them into daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly goals. 

These can be homework or educational goals , sports goals, or social goals. And be sure to include some fun, personal goals (like reaching the next level in a video game or finishing their favorite book series). 

Then, for each goal, discuss how they’re going to achieve it. What are the steps your child needs to take? What help might they need to get there? Breaking down bigger goals into digestible steps is a crucial part of goal-setting.

Though this process may seem tedious, you’re teaching valuable skills. Your child will likely need your help the first few times you do this exercise. But once they’ve practiced goal-setting, they can do it more independently. Before you know it, they’ll know how to take a task, split it into manageable steps, and accomplish it without your help.

Did you know?

If your child has a Prodigy Math Membership , you can use your parent account to set learning goals for them to achieve as they play our online math game.

The best bit? Every time they complete a goal, they'll also get a special in-game reward!

2. Encourage your child’s curiosity

When you're setting goals with your child, some of them may not be so fun. These might involve getting ready for school each day or cleaning their room once a week. And while these are necessary, you want to mix in some fun goals as well. Ones that line up with their interests.

Encourage your child to set goals around a new hobby or topic that excites them. As they practice self-motivation while doing the tasks they enjoy, they’ll be learning the skills they need to complete the less fun tasks as well. 

3. Use positive reinforcement

A kind word goes much further in motivating than a negative one. Especially when children are trying to complete a difficult goal, a negative comment can be discouraging. 

The trick is to identify the difference between positive reinforcement and the extrinsic motivation of your praise. A good rule of thumb is that positive reinforcement comes after the child has formulated a plan and achieved some part of it. 

For example, instead of talking about how proud you are of their good grades, remind them that they should feel proud of all they’ve accomplished. Recognize their hard work, not just the outcome.

Your positive reinforcement should help them feel good, but it shouldn’t be so intense that they continue their goals only to get more positive attention from you. 

4. Give your child autonomy 

The world is full of natural consequences both good and bad. Your child has likely already experienced many of these. 

They learned not to jump off the stairs from too high because they did it once and it hurt their feet. They learned not to touch the stove because it burned. Or maybe they skipped studying for a test and made a disappointing grade.

As your child grows, they’ll discover their actions have consequences in school and life. There are social consequences to interactions they have with their peers. There are academic consequences as they choose to either study hard or slack off. 

Consequences are not bad — they’re simply the result of an action or choice. When it’s safe and appropriate, allow your child to experience and learn from the natural consequences of their actions. This will not only make them feel more motivated to make better choices, but it will also help grow their sense of responsibility.

5. Support your child’s interests 

When your child sets goals to pursue things they love, show interest. Ask questions and bring their passions up in conversation often to check in on their progress. Even if you don’t understand their love for it, try not to make their interests feel unimportant.

Remember, every goal is more fun when you have someone alongside you , rooting for your success. It’s totally possible to show interest and encourage them without being the source of their motivation. 

6. Build up your child’s self-confidence 

Every goal your child ticks off their list will grow their self-esteem. For children who struggle with self-confidence, it may be best to start with small tasks. Lots of little victories when they first start out will help give them the confidence needed to conquer bigger challenges. 

Positive affirmations can be a great way to help your child build their confidence. A growth mindset doesn't come easily to everyone, especially young perfectionists. But with a little extra work and smart goal-setting, your child’s confidence can really bloom. 

7. Remind them that failure is no big deal 

It’s important for both of you to keep in mind that self-motivation is a new skill. And just like reading or riding a bike, it will take time and practice to learn how to do it. And then it will take even more time to master it.

Have patience during the process. Remind them that even if they fail and miss some of their goals, there’s a lesson to be learned. Spur them on with the knowledge that they’re strong enough to try again and again until they get it right. They just haven’t accomplished it yet .

Our mindsets are so powerful. The outlook you have and the beliefs you hold shape your life decisions in immeasurable ways. 

Helping your child develop a growth mindset early in life can have a direct impact on their present and future success. It can determine how they see the world, themselves, and their potential. And it can be a real driver for self-motivation.

A growth mindset helps your child realize anything is possible with enough dedication and hard work. It reminds them when they fail that they’re capable of overcoming challenges. And this mindset can help them find the self-motivation they need to always be improving.  

It’s easy to see how this mindset can translate into a fulfilling life. Career success is more likely and personal relationships are better served when you're always trying to improve yourself. A person can truly find and achieve their purpose in life with a growth mindset. 

Don’t make these mistakes when helping your child learn self-motivation.

Having unrealistic expectations 

Don’t expect your child to master this skill overnight. Set realistic expectations and plan to help them take small, measurable steps in the right direction over time. 

Focusing on past performance 

Your child is going to mess up a time or two…or ten. That’s just a part of life. Don’t hold onto their past failures. And on the flip side, remember that success one day does not necessarily mean they’ll have success every day after.

Using criticism and disappointment to motivate

Tell your child often that you’re proud of them for trying hard things. Let them know they’re doing a great job even if they aren’t succeeding every time.

Falling into a power struggle

No one wins during a power struggle. Try to avoid them by giving your child choices (and honoring their choice) whenever it’s appropriate and safe. 

Relying on extrinsic motivators

This is exactly what we’re trying to avoid. Avoid using physical prizes or rewards as motivation. While this can work in the short term, we don’t want this to be the only reason our child accomplishes something. 

Encouraging self-motivation with Prodigy

Self-motivation sets a child up for success throughout their school years and beyond. With guidance and practice, your child can learn this important skill and smash their goals. 

If your child is lacking motivation in their math or English learning, try Prodigy! Prodigy's online games in math and English helps your child master key, curriculum-aligned skills – all while they have fun!

Plus with parent accounts, you can follow your child's progress, spot any struggle areas and motivate them with encouraging messages, goals and rewards.

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Research found that when kids used Prodigy Math, their level of math enjoyment doubled in just a few months!

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Nudge, Don’t Nag: 9 Ways to Motivate Your Child to Do Well

Nine ways to get your child with adhd to the starting line — and to finally cross over the finish line of assignments, goals, and day-to-day tasks..

“She could do it if she only tried” or “He’s just lazy.” How often have you heard people say this about your child, or thought it yourself? Your child seems capable, yet getting him to do assignments or homework is like having to move mountains.

Attention deficit disorder ( ADHD or ADD ) has been called a disorder of motivation . Some experts believe that ADHD affects motivation more than attention.

The reason children and teens with ADHD have difficulty getting started and completing tasks is neurologically based. ADHD usually involves executive function deficits — not being able to organize one’s thoughts or getting started, for example. In addition, those with ADHD have lower dopamine levels than their neurotypical peers. Dopamine allows us to regulate emotional responses and take action to achieve specific rewards. It’s responsible for feelings of pleasure and reward. With ADHD , dopamine is not transmitted efficiently, so a child doesn’t have the motivation to complete tasks.

What can you as a parent do to motivate your child to start assignments, finish homework, and just get stuff done? Here are some simple solutions that have worked for me, as a mom and a teacher:

• Monitor your child’s medication. Medication for ADHD improves neurotransmitter function. Check in with your child’s doctor to be sure the dosage is optimal. Also make sure that the medication is active during times when she needs it for homework and other schoolwork.
• Elevate your child to a decision-maker. We are less motivated when someone else tells us what to do. No one likes to be nagged to start a chore or an assignment. Giving your child a sense of control will encourage him to start and finish a task. Ask your child how long she thinks a task will take, and have her compare the actual time with her prediction. Encourage her to come up with solutions for getting started sooner.

[ Free Webinar Replay: Tips and Tools to Help Your Child Start — and Finish — Homework ]

• Set goals. Research shows that setting goals makes it more likely that they will be achieved. Have your child create a “vision board” at the beginning of the school year. She can cut out pictures from magazines or print photos from websites, and make a collage showing where she wants to go and what she wants to be at the end of that grade or beyond. Ask her to write down one specific observable goal that relates to that vision. The goal should be time-limited—like read 10 pages in a book in one week. Agree on a time for her to report on her progress, so you don’t have to nag her.
• Use “if… then.” There are two types of motivation: intrinsic and extrinsic. We all want our children with ADHD to do something because they are interested in doing it, not just to earn a reward. But until they internalize the pleasure of accomplishment, students with ADHD may get more done with external motivation — namely, rewards. Research has shown that giving material rewards works best with short-term activities, not long-term achievements. Instead of rewarding your child for a good report card, reward him for completing assignments due the next day.
• Make it into a game. Have your child choose his favorite tune, and ask him to practice all of his spelling words before the tune is over.
• Connect uninteresting activities to areas of interest. When my son was in third grade, his teacher told me, “He’s just not interested in learning!” I had observed him since birth and knew that the little boy who tamed butterflies was curious and loved to learn. The subject needed to be interesting to him. If your child is interested in baseball, relate math to sports activities, such as calculating a batting average. If he likes cooking, show him how to use fractions to measure ingredients for a favorite recipe.

[ Free Resource: Transform Your Teen’s Apathy Into Engagement ]

• Keep him moving. Allow your child to stand while working. Punctuate school assignments or other quiet tasks with short movement activities, such as yoga poses or “musical chairs.”
• Be realistic. When your child experiences success, he will want to repeat that experience. Determine how much your child can complete in a given time, and ask him to take that on. When my son was a young teen, I had a list of chores for him to complete that never seemed to get done. I nagged him. Finally, I took a close look at what he could realistically get done. We talked things over and he chose one chore he was willing to do — the laundry. Apparently, that held more intrinsic interest to him than taking out the garbage. Once we determined how often the laundry needed to be done, he took charge. I still had to wash the dishes and take out the trash, but he finally experienced a sense of accomplishment from doing his own laundry, and that translated into future success in school.
• Praise effort over ability. Studies show that students do best when they believe that improvement is due to putting in lots of effort rather than to fixed intelligence or innate ability. When a parent praises a child for doing a task, she is underscoring a child’s control over the task.

SHARI GENT, M.S., NCED, works at Mind Matters Educational Therapy and is an educational therapist in private practice in Fremont, California. You can reach Shari here.

[ How to Motivate (Not De-Moralize) a Student with ADHD ]

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7 Steps To Motivate Your Child

Children are motivated by three basic psychological needs – autonomy, mastery, and relatedness. Kids are intrinsically motivated when these three needs are met, according to the self-determination theory proposed by psychologists E.L. Deci and R.M. Ryan at the University of Rochester.

There are eight ways and six key factors parents can use to satisfy those needs and motivate their children. Moreover, parents should not punish their children or give financial incentives for their achievements as a way to motivate them.

Here are 8 science-proven ways to help your child develop an internal drive, even for tasks children don’t enjoy initially.

Table of Contents

1. Stop trying to motivate kids the conventional way

Traditional methods of motivating children, such as external rewards and negative consequences, do not produce long-term results.

Researchers have identified two types of motivation: intrinsic and extrinsic.

• Intrinsic motivation leads to doing an activity for its inherent enjoyment.
• Extrinsic motivation leads to doing an activity not for its inherent enjoyment but for a separate outcome.

Intrinsic motivation yields better results, whereas extrinsic motivation often falls short in the long run.

Rewards and punishment can only motivate a child’s behavior extrinsically while reducing the child’s intrinsic motivation.

While rewards or fear of punishment may produce immediate results, these methods also produce a power struggle. Sooner or later, children will stop responding. Research shows that these short-term methods also stifle the intrinsic motivation in your child, if there was any initially, making the problem even worse.

To motivate a child intrinsically for long-term results, stop using conventional methods and instead focus on helping your child develop intrinsic desires.

2. Spark interest and curiosity

Spark your child’s natural curiosity and interest in the task to create intrinsic motivation.

If studying is one of the long-term goals, create a ‘learning-is-fun’ environment. Encourage learning for the sake of acquiring new knowledge rather than focusing on doing homework or getting good grades. You can also inspire curiosity by showing your child different ways to apply school subjects to the real world.

The greatest challenge here is prioritizing your child’s love for learning over your eagerness to see them succeed. Learning is no longer fun when there is pressure to complete school work or get a good grade.

Consider the bigger picture. A child will naturally strive for success when they’re engaged and enjoying the process. You might have to be okay with them not getting the best grades at first because learning, not getting good grades, is the most important thing. Teach your child that the learning experience itself is the best reward.

3. Give children a sense of autonomy and self-determination

Studies have consistently shown that when a child feels a sense of control over their choices, they are more motivated. Some degree of autonomy is necessary for a child to enjoy what they do.

For instance, give children options to choose the extracurricular activity they enjoy. Providing guidance and explaining the pros and cons will be helpful, but your child will need to be able to make their own decisions to feel motivated.

However, given unlimited freedom, children may avoid challenging or tedious tasks like studying or doing chores. This is where the next step becomes critical: building a solid relationship to help them internalize the reasons for those tasks.

4. Strengthen relationships to help children internalize the importance of a task

Children enjoy doing things that matter to people they care about. Studies show that feeling close and connected to others helps kids take these activities to heart because their ties with others are a big reason they’re motivated.

Parents play a crucial role in this. A stronger bond with your child can lead to them listening to you more, adopting your values, and even being motivated by things that are important to you.

Your relationship with your child can be strengthened through using an authoritative parenting style.

Authoritative parents are warm, responsive, and attentive to their children’s needs while setting high but achievable standards and explaining the boundaries. Using reasoning rather than punishment to discipline is also essential in forming trust and a close relationship.

5. Get involved

Getting involved in your child’s activities without being controlling is an effective way to motivate kids. Research shows that parental involvement strongly predicts a child’s academic success.

When you participate in your child’s activities, it conveys the value you place on the activities.

For instance, you can coach or watch your child’s sports games. In school, you can volunteer to help in class. You can read with your child at home to help them form good learning habits.

6. Challenge children just enough

Having feelings of accomplishment is another key to a child’s motivation.

Find the right balance of challenge for your child. Your child can become easily bored if a task or activity is overly simple. On the other hand, if the task is too difficult, feelings of discouragement and self-doubt may start to creep in. 

An optimal challenge is slightly more difficult than a child has already mastered to push them out of their comfort zone, but it is still achievable through practice and hard work.

7. Promote a growth mindset

To help your child learn new things or master a skill, instill the belief that abilities can be developed through dedication and effort. This is called the growth mindset.

With a growth mindset, children are intrinsically motivated to embrace challenges, persist through setbacks, and nurture a lifelong joy of learning.

You can foster this positive attitude through the following strategies.

• Praise effort during the process over innate talent. For instance, rather than saying, “Good work,” or “You’re so smart,” try, “I like how you tried several ways to solve the puzzle.” This emphasizes the process over the results.
• Encourage a love of learning by framing setbacks as opportunities, not threats. The journey itself has value.
• Provide constructive and positive feedback focused on potential and improvement, not just failure.
• Use positive reinforcement or big celebration sparingly so they retain significance. If every success is rewarded, the child begins to expect rewards, turning them into external factors that drive extrinsic motivation .

8. Set a mastery goal

Set goals focusing on developing competence or mastering a new skill rather than aiming to win.

Mastery goals prioritize learning for its own sake, while performance goals highlight the importance of achievement.

A study has shown that children with mastery goals have higher self-efficacy, are more likely to persist at challenging tasks, and have a higher intrinsic motivation to learn.

What are the key factors that influence a child’s motivation?

The key factors influencing a child’s intrinsic motivation include a sense of control, self-belief, family dynamics, peer influence, goal orientation, and overall health.

Locus of control : Children tend to be intrinsically motivated when they have a say in their decisions and choices. This is called internal locus of control, which studies find to be correlated with higher motivation.

Self-efficacy : Belief in their abilities to accomplish can increase a child’s confidence and self-motivation. Encouraging a growth mindset can increase a child’s belief in growing their capabilities.

Paren-child relationship : A nurturing and supportive bond can elevate a child’s motivation, especially when parents embody and model motivational attitudes, which children often emulate.

Peer influence : The impact of peers is twofold; they can motivate through social pressure and by fostering a sense of belonging within a group. Positive peer interactions can significantly boost a child’s drive and enthusiasm.

Goal orientation : If a child is genuinely interested in achieving a specific mastery goal, their motivation naturally increases. However, setting goals without underlying interest or desire will not effectively motivate kids.

Physical and emotional well-being : A child’s motivation is also linked to health. Persistent illness or emotional distress can divert their focus and energy, making motivation more challenging.

What is a growth mindset?

A growth mindset is a belief that abilities can be developed through perseverance, dedication, and hard work. It is the understanding that talents and skills are not fixed, but rather can grow through effort. Such a mindset encourages kids to embrace challenges, persist despite setbacks, and see effort as a path to mastery and competence. This approach significantly boosts motivation in children, helping them achieve in school.

Why is intrinsic motivation better?

Studies have shown that when people engage in an activity out of intrinsic motivation, the quality of engagement and the results are better.

In one study at the University of Rochester, researchers asked undergraduate students to read an article and then record their emotions reading it. One week later, they tested the student’s ability to recall the information. Students who found the article interesting or enjoyable scored better than those who didn’t recall and comprehend the data, even after accounting for their differences in verbal aptitude.

How does age affect the motivation levels in children?

Several studies have found that intrinsic motivation levels in children generally decline during adolescence. However, several factors are inversely correlated with the decline. High achievers tend to have less decline in motivation.

A school-wide focus on mastery goals rather than performance goals is associated with less decline in motivation levels.

As children age, the change in motivation levels also varies by subject; motivation for kids notably declines in math but remains relatively stable in social studies.

However, the effect of age on motivation is only limited to children. Other studies have found that motivation levels are stable or increase as adults age.

How does motivation affect a child’s academic success?

Research findings consistently show that intrinsic motivation is associated with better academic success. When a child enjoys learning, they tend to do better in school.

What is the most common mistake when parents try to motivate their children?

One of the most common mistakes parents make when motivating their children is relying on punishment or unnatural consequences. Parents in many cultures have traditionally used fear to motivate, but this strategy is fraught with issues.

Although punishment often generates quick success initially, it creates the wrong kind of motivation – extrinsic motivation. The effectiveness of this fear-based extrinsic motivation will diminish over time. It will eventually stop working, or the punishment will have to increase to severe measures, which can border on abuse. 

This approach can also backfire. Studies have shown that when a controlling factor, such as privilege removal, is introduced, the person’s intrinsic drive decreases and performance declines.

Should you pay your child for good grades?

No, you should not pay your child for earning good grades in school. This practice has two major flaws – one practical and one ethical.

Practically, paying children for academic achievement can undermine their intrinsic motivation to learn. When they expect external compensation for good performance, their inner drive may weaken. By tying money to grades, you risk diminishing your child’s innate love of learning. In addition, this method needs continuous application to be effective. Do you plan on paying your kid for grades throughout their high school and college years?

Ethically, it sets a precedent that monetary compensation is expected for fulfilling personal responsibilities and achievements, which may not align with the values you want to instill in your child.

Do you need more help with motivating your child?

If you want additional tips and a step-by-step plan, the following online course is a great place to start.

It gives you the steps you need to identify motivation issues in your child and the strategy you can apply to help your child build self-motivation and become passionate about learning.

Once you know this science-based strategy, motivating your child becomes easy and stress-free.

How to Motivate Kids When Rules, Consequences, and Rewards Don’t Work

I have put together an online course to help parents implement these motivation steps. Here are the 7 modules to implement the 7 steps of motivating children.

1. How to Start the Transformation

The secret behind this motivation strategy is that it starts with YOUR mindset and expectations. If your mind isn’t in this the right way or has the right expectations, this strategy will not work! Commit to this and stick with it even when things get tough, believing you can ride it out and succeed.

2. The 4 Motivation Strategies

Learn the four essential elements of motivating kids. Then, you will learn the whys and hows to adapt this strategy to your unique situation.

3. How to Avoid Making the Biggest Mistake

Avoiding the loss of motivation is as important as gaining it. You’ll learn to systematically look for and eliminate toxic demotivators from your child’s life.

4. How to Use the Most Important Motivator to Discipline

Adopt the discipline blueprint to create the most important motivator. You’ll learn how to use it to build your child’s internal motivation.

5. How to Use the Most Powerful Motivator to Inspire

Once you learn the most powerful motivator, you’ll be empowered to guide your child and help them develop an unstoppable inner drive to achieve.

6. How to Find the Most Direct Motivator to Achieve Success

Your child’s brain chemistry and learning style can affect how they absorb information. I will teach you how to look for and use it to facilitate your child’s learning.

7. How to Use All the Motivators Together

Put all three motivators together and create the optimal self-drive for your child to reach their potential and succeed.

Help Your Child Reach Their Potential. Enroll Today.

REGULAR PRICE $199

TODAY’S PRICE $79 ( $120 OFF )

Immediate access to recordings

Self-paced course

Moneyback guaranteed

IF, WITHIN 30 DAYS, YOU ARE NOT 100% SATISFIED, I WILL HAPPILY REFUND YOU.

My motivation strategy is battle-tested and science-backed.

But if this isn’t exactly what you need, go through the materials and put some effort into it. If, within 30 days, you don’t feel it is worth what you paid, send me an email for a prompt refund.

Frequently Asked Questions

Hi, I’m Pamela Li . I’m a writer and parenting specialist. I’m also a mom and the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Parenting For Brain, a parenting publication with over 2.8M readership. I help parents raise thriving kids.

This course is for parents and caregivers of school-aged children who are not motivated to study from elementary to high school.

The strategies in this course are based on proven science that increases human motivation and should work for kids with different conditions. However, parents and caregivers must still work with corresponding professionals to address those medical concerns even with increased motivation. This course does not provide medical advice.

This course teaches parents and caregivers how to motivate their children. If your child lacks motivation, you and your child will benefit from this course. However, motivation alone cannot overcome medical conditions. Your child will still need professional help to address those issues separately.

Yes, it can. Although every child is different, the strategies in this course are created based on experience and proven science and can be adapted to kids of different temperaments.

We offer a 30-day refund guarantee. Simply send us an email at support @ parentingforbrain.com (remove the spaces before and after @) for a refund.

Results depend on how the strategy is implemented. Parents who have incorporated the techniques in their parenting have seen great results. However, success is not guaranteed if the steps and principles are not followed.

Contact us at support @ parentingforbrain.com (remove the spaces before and after @).

References For How To Motivate Your Child

• 1. Oudeyer PY, Gottlieb J, Lopes M. Intrinsic motivation, curiosity, and learning. Motivation – Theory, Neurobiology and Applications . Published online 2016:257-284. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/bs.pbr.2016.05.005
• 2. Reeve J. A Self-determination Theory Perspective on Student Engagement. Handbook of Research on Student Engagement . Published online 2012:149-172. doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-2018-7_7
• 3. Froiland JM. Parental Autonomy Support and Student Learning Goals: A Preliminary Examination of an Intrinsic Motivation Intervention. Child Youth Care Forum . Published online November 3, 2010:135-149. doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/s10566-010-9126-2
• 4. Guay F, Denault AS, Renauld S. School attachment and relatedness with parents, friends and teachers as predictors of students’ intrinsic and identified regulation. Contemporary Educational Psychology . Published online October 2017:416-428. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cedpsych.2017.10.001
• 5. Fan W, Williams CM. The effects of parental involvement on students’ academic self‐efficacy, engagement and intrinsic motivation. Educational Psychology . Published online December 11, 2009:53-74. doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/01443410903353302
• 6. Froiland JM, Oros E, Smith L, Hirchert T. Intrinsic Motivation to Learn: The Nexus Between Psychological Health and Academic Success. Contemp School Psychol . Published online January 2012:91-100. doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/bf03340978
• 7. Ng B. The Neuroscience of Growth Mindset and Intrinsic Motivation. Brain Sciences . Published online January 26, 2018:20. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci8020020
• 8. Lai ER. Motivation: A literature review. Person Research’s Report . 2011;6:40-41.
• 9. Skinner EA. Perceived control: Motivation, coping, and development. Self-Efficacy . Published online 2014:91-106.
• 10. Gottfried AE, Marcoulides GA, Gottfried AW, Oliver PH, Guerin DW. Multivariate latent change modeling of developmental decline in academic intrinsic math motivation and achievement: Childhood through adolescence. International Journal of Behavioral Development . Published online July 2007:317-327. doi:https://doi.org/10.1177/0165025407077752
• 11. Corpus JH, McClintic-Gilbert MS, Hayenga AO. Within-year changes in children’s intrinsic and extrinsic motivational orientations: Contextual predictors and academic outcomes. Contemporary Educational Psychology . Published online April 2009:154-166. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cedpsych.2009.01.001
• 12. Gottfried AE, Fleming JS, Gottfried AW. Continuity of academic intrinsic motivation from childhood through late adolescence: A longitudinal study. Journal of Educational Psychology . Published online March 2001:3-13. doi:https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0663.93.1.3
• 13. Cerasoli CP, Nicklin JM, Ford MT. Intrinsic motivation and extrinsic incentives jointly predict performance: A 40-year meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin . Published online 2014:980-1008. doi:https://doi.org/10.1037/a0035661
• 14. Taylor G, Jungert T, Mageau GA, et al. A self-determination theory approach to predicting school achievement over time: the unique role of intrinsic motivation. Contemporary Educational Psychology . Published online October 2014:342-358. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cedpsych.2014.08.002

Disclaimer: The content of this article is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider for medical concerns.

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How parents' support and emotional guidance shape homework success

by Hebrew University of Jerusalem

New research from Hebrew University shows that how well parents understand their children and manage their own emotions greatly affects homework time. Parents who are good at understanding their kids are more supportive and help them become more independent and motivated to learn. On the other hand, parents who have trouble managing their emotions are more likely to act negatively, which can make it harder for children to stay engaged and do well in their learning.

Researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have uncovered new insights into the mechanisms that contribute to parental ability to support their children academically. Led by Dr. Naama Gershy and Ph.D. student Racheli Cohen from the School of Education, in collaboration with Prof. Maayan Davidov from the School of Social Work and Social Welfare, the study explored why so many parents struggle to support their children during homework .

The research shows that parents' emotional and cognitive processes can greatly influence their interactions with their children during homework time. By studying 101 Israeli parents and their elementary-aged children, the researchers identified factors that can either help or hinder the support parents provide at home.

The paper , titled "Why Things Can Go Wrong When Parents Try to Help Children With Their Homework: The Role of Parental Emotion Regulation and Mentalization," is now published in the Journal of Educational Psychology .

Children usually spend about one to two hours a day on homework, but this varies with age and school demands. Many parents find it challenging to balance their own responsibilities while supporting their children academically, which can lead to stress and conflict. Improving this dynamic is crucial.

One key finding is the role of parental mentalization—the ability to perceive and interpret their children's thoughts and feelings. Parents who are good at mentalization are more supportive and less controlling, creating a better homework environment that can boost children's independent learning and motivation.

Conversely, parents who struggle with managing their emotions tend to express negative behaviors, like frustration or discouragement, which can make homework stressful and curtail their child's engagement.

"Our research sheds light on how parents' emotional and mental processes impact their involvement in their children's education," explained Dr. Gershy. "Understanding these factors can help develop strategies that improve parent-child interactions during homework, and hence increase parental ability to support and encourage their children 's learning."

Practical applications of these findings could include parent training programs and educational strategies to improve parents' awareness of their emotional states and mentalization skills, aiming to enhance parental support and foster better academic outcomes and relationships.

Journal information: Journal of Educational Psychology

Provided by Hebrew University of Jerusalem

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Home / Expert Articles / Child Behavior Problems / School & Homework

How To Motivate Your Homeschool Child

By kimball lewis.

Do you homeschool your kids? Recently, a reader wrote in with this question about her 13-year-old daughter, who thinks being homeschooled means she can do work whenever she wants to.

“I know EmpoweringParents.com has written about how to get kids to do their homework, but we have a unique situation. We homeschool our two children, and while my son does his work just fine, my 13-year-old daughter refuses to do any work at all! She won’t even get up in the morning. She says that because she is homeschooled, she can work whenever and wherever she wants! I’ve tried to give her the freedom to structure her day, but she still doesn’t get her work done. She’s falling behind, and when I try to get her interested in something, she just blows up at me. I can’t just let her fail, but I am working so much harder than she is. My house is a battle zone all day long, and I’m afraid my son will start to pick up her habits. What can I do?”

Homework and school behavior are often on the top of the list of concerns when parents contact us. Most of our parenting advice talks about the importance of structure and enlisting the aid of teachers and other school officials to help your child improve their behavior. But what happens when you are the teacher, the principal — and the school nurse?

Work on One Behavior at a Time

Sit down with your kids and let them know what you expect of them during their school day. You might even tell them what you’ve seen them do well. Then, choose one or two behaviors you’d like them to improve or change. Help them figure out what they will do, specifically, to help them meet your expectations. Aim for specific, measurable improvements, not vague suggestions.

For example, telling your child you need to get better at following directions is a vague request, and you may not get the results you’d like. Instead, say something like this to your child:

“I need to see that you are out of bed, dressed, and ready for your English assignment by 8:30 every morning. When you are at the table and ready on time, you’ll earn half an hour of movie time that night.”

Tell your child that if they’re late or argue, they won’t earn that time. And talk with them about what they can do differently to help reach this goal. If your child fails to meet your expectations, you can remind them that they already know what to do differently to earn their privileges, and it is up to them to make those changes.

Motivate Your Child With Their Currency

As parents, we know the importance of education. We often try to get our kids to understand this importance and to take their schoolwork seriously. The truth is, kids don’t care about schoolwork the way that grown-ups do. As much as we might want to, we can’t make them care about math or science or literature. Homeschooling parents don’t have report cards or in-school suspensions to help them to force kids to take their work or their behavior seriously, either.

To more effectively convince your child to take their school day seriously, you need to use something that they value to get them to do what you value. Sit down with your kids and come up with a menu of rewards and consequences. Find out from your child what they would like to earn every day. It doesn’t have to be anything too large or extravagant it could be daily computer time, more unstructured free time, or even a later bedtime. Focus on short-term, daily privileges, not long term or big-ticket items. Understand that far off rewards are not enough of a motivation to create change in daily performance.

We often hear from parents who try to force their kids to complete their work by threatening the loss of special events or giving them additional chores to complete if they don’t behave appropriately. Just remember that you can’t punish kids into better behavior. And, if you give them an additional chore as punishment for not doing their schoolwork, you may find that you have a whole new power struggle over getting them to complete that chore!

Find out what your kids value, allow them to earn that valuable item each day, and you may find that your school day goes much more smoothly.

Don’t Start Your Day with a Power Struggle

Electronics are often a high-interest item for kids and teens. In our EmpoweringParents.com articles on homework issues, we suggest letting your child earn time with electronics only after specific work is completed within a specific time frame.

In a homeschool family, you may find that electronics are best kept off limits until the entire school day is done. Some kids have tried to convince their parents to let them play with video games or the computer before they do any school work, only to refuse to turn the electronics o􀃗 when mom or dad says it’s time to get to work.

Some parents allow their children to take a break within the school day to play video games. Certainly, if that works for your family, you don’t need to change it. But if a midday game break makes your afternoon more difficult, you may want to find another activity for your child. Keep those high-interest items off-limits until the end of the day.

Use Daily Privileges and Rewards

Let your child earn their privileges – time that can be cashed in when the day’s work is completed. For example, let your child know they will earn 30 minutes of electronics time when they have finished the morning school work. In addition, they have an opportunity to earn a second 30 minutes when they complete their afternoon work.

Splitting up your rewards can also help improve compliance if your child has a rough morning, remind them they have another chance to pull it together for the afternoon. You may find that your child will improve their behavior when they know they get a second chance. It’s true that there may be days when your child does not complete their work and don’t earn their privileges for that day. Let them know that tomorrow is a new day, and they get a chance to try again.

Are You Too Busy for Rewards?

Some homeschool families tell us their lives are so hectic, they don’t have any unstructured free time, and their kids have no time for rewards or privileges. If you’ve set up your daily life so that there is no free time, you may have difficulty getting compliance out of your children when they decide to dig in their heels.

Remember, you need to use something that they value to get them to do something you value. Is there any room for an extra half hour or so of free time in your homeschool day? Ask your children what they might like as a privilege — you may find that it is something as simple as an extra half-an-hour of time before bed.

Let Them Earn More Freedom

Homeschool parents often tell us that their child refuses to follow the family’s schedule, making every day an ongoing struggle. Usually, the child will say things like, “I’ll do my work after you let me do what I want.” Or they may say, “You can’t make me do it your way.”

Remember, power struggles are a normal part of child development. There is no need to convince your child that your way is right and their way is wrong. You don’t need to attend that fight. Instead, calmly let your child know that doing work independently is a privilege, not a right, and they will need to earn that privilege.

Let your child know that you need to see them comply with your schedule before you are willing to give them a chance to do it on their own. When they can show you they can complete their work consistently and appropriately for a few days in a row, let them experiment with their schedules.

If they manage to complete the work on their own, they can continue at their own pace. If they start slipping, let them know you will go back to your original structure until they can be successful for a few more days in a row. Step by step, they can earn their independence.

Whatever rules and structures you put in place, be sure that your child knows what they are. Write them down and put them on the refrigerator. And if you are implementing consequences, don’t be alarmed if you get the desired effect immediately. It can sometimes take a few weeks for kids to come around. Just be patient and give your changes time to work. And be sure to notice and let them know when they’ve had a good day.

Related content: “My Child Refuses to Do Homework” — How to Stop the Nightly Struggle Over School Work

About Kimball Lewis

Kimball Lewis is the CEO of EmpoweringParents.com. In addition to his leadership and management roles, he contributes as an editor, a homeschooling expert, and a parent coach. He resides in Orlando, Florida, with his wife and two teenage sons. He is the host of The Empowering Parents Podcast ( Apple, Spotify, Google, Stitcher ) .

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Responses to questions posted on EmpoweringParents.com are not intended to replace qualified medical or mental health assessments. We cannot diagnose disorders or offer recommendations on which treatment plan is best for your family. Please seek the support of local resources as needed. If you need immediate assistance, or if you and your family are in crisis, please contact a qualified mental health provider in your area, or contact your statewide crisis hotline.

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• 1. The Homework Battle: How to Get Children to Do Homework
• 2. What to Do When Your Child or Teen is Suspended or Expelled From School
• 3. "My Child Refuses to Do Homework" — How to Stop the Nightly Struggle Over Schoolwork
• 4. Acting Out in School: When Your Child is the Class Troublemaker
• 5. Young Kids in School: Help for the Top 4 Behavior Problems
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3 Ways to Get Your Teen Excited About School

Unlock motivation and engagement for a bright future..

Posted September 4, 2024 | Reviewed by Monica Vilhauer

• A Parent's Role
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• Engaged students are more than twice as likely to thrive and see a great future ahead of them.
• Lack of engagement often shows through minimal effort, easy class choices, and avoiding school discussions.
• Teens are more engaged when they like the subject matter and see its real-world applications.
• Hands-on learning and passionate teachers can reignite a teen's interest in education.

A recent survey of over 2,000 Gen Zers enrolled in kindergarten through 12 th grade found that 25% to 54% of the students do not feel that what they’re learning is important or interesting. Just under half of those surveyed think their schoolwork positively challenges them, and even fewer think their schoolwork aligns with what they do best. Why do these numbers matter? Because according to the survey, students who feel engaged at school are more than twice as likely as students who report the lowest engagement to be thriving in their lives and are more than four times as likely to strongly agree they have a great future ahead of them (Gallup, 2024).

Essentially, we want our teens to be engaged in learning. We want them to feel passion for some of their subjects, to feel excited and challenged about material, and to think their education will help them in the future. From research on motivation , we know it’s not possible to always feel passionate, excited, and challenged when it comes to anything. These things will ebb and flow and that’s completely normal. In fact, I cover this in depth in my book, Helping Your Unmotivated Teen . But we want our teens to feel engaged in learning and to feel challenged at school, no matter their level of motivation.

How to Know Your Teen Isn’t into School

For some parents, this is a no-brainer. Your teen complains constantly about school, and you have to pull out every trick in the book to get them to do their homework or study. You’re painfully aware of how much your teen doesn’t like school or learning. But for other parents, it might not be as obvious. Your teen may not be as talkative or be able to articulate what’s bothering them. Or maybe you have a busy household or your teen has lots of different things going on and you just don’t have the time or space to really know what’s happening in every area of their life.

Here are some signs that your teen isn’t engaged in learning*:

• They put in very little effort on their schoolwork. Please know that this isn’t about grades though, this is about effort. Your teen could be in easy classes and getting high grades without putting in effort or your teen could be putting in a ton of effort but getting low grades. Pay attention to how much time and energy they’re exerting over their schoolwork and ask questions about what they did during their study hall. Get a sense of how hard they’re working to see if they’re interested or care about school.
• When given a choice, they take the easiest path. Maybe you’ve allowed your teen to decide which classes to sign up for and, despite knowing they’re capable of higher-level courses, they’re taking the ones that are easy for them. Or perhaps they can choose their topic for a class project, and you notice them recycling something from another class despite having plenty of free time.
• They shut down any conversation about school or show a negative attitude whenever it’s brought up. You try asking questions about their day, what they’re learning, or what projects they’re working on, but they change the subject, get angry, or completely shut down. You can’t find a way to bring up school without it resulting in an argument or being avoided altogether.

(*Please know that when teens are experiencing symptoms of mental health issues like depression or anxiety , they may also show these signs. However, the difference is that their apathy or lack of interest isn’t only confined to school. You notice it happening in other areas of their life too such as social withdrawal or not wanting to do things they were previously interested in.)

How To Get Your Teen Engaged in Learning

• Students feel more excited about learning when they have a teacher who's excited about what they're teaching (Gallup, 2024). If your teen complains that their teacher is boring , uninterested in the material, or doesn't make the material more exciting, it may be a good idea to find a different teacher, hire a tutor who can get excited about the topic, or help your teen find what's interesting in the material.
• Teens in the survey also reported that they're more engaged in learning when they like the subject matter (Gallup, 2024). This means making sure your teen has some say in what they're signing up for (when possible) or helping them connect the dots on how the information will help them in something they're truly interested in. For example, maybe your teen isn't so into their history class right now but is watching the political conventions and debates alongside you. Ask them how what they're learning in history is showing up in the debates or where they see connections to the past.
• Teens said they like it when the learning is hands-on or when it's connected to real world experiences (Gallup, 2024). If your teen isn't getting that at school, help them find ways to get it at home. Perhaps taking a weekend trip to a field museum, doing your own science experiment together in the kitchen, or having them shadow a relative at work could help bridge the gap.

Engaging your teen in learning may feel impossible. However, by understanding what drives their interest, and actively seeking ways to make learning more relevant and exciting, you can help reignite their passion for education. Remember, it's not just about pushing them to do well in school but helping them find meaning in what they learn. When teens see the value in their education—whether through passionate teachers, relatable subject matter, or hands-on experiences—they are more likely to stay engaged and motivated, setting them up for success both now and in the future.

With a little creativity and patience, you can support your teen in rediscovering their enthusiasm for learning and ensure that they view their education as a powerful tool for achieving their goals.

Gallup, Inc. (2024). K-12 Schools Struggle to Engage Gen Z Students . Retrieved August 24, 2024, from https://news.gallup.com/poll/648896/schools-struggle-engage-gen-student…

Melanie McNally, Psy.D., is a clinical psychologist, brain coach, and author of The Emotionally Intelligent Teen and Helping Your Unmotivated Teen.

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How to help your distracted teen find motivation and focus for school

Abc lifestyle.

Topic: Parenting

It's easy to find motivation to do the thing you love, but as youth coach Ms Eaton says: "The reality of school is that for many children, it's hard for them to see the value in it." ( Adobe Stock )

Jane describes her teen son as "a very funny, intelligent, haphazard, chaotic creature".

While he thrives socially at school, he's always had academic issues — and like many parents his mum is struggling to motivate him to finish year 12. But that doesn't faze him.

Because, as Jane (not her real name) told ABC podcast, Parental As Anything: Teens: "According to him, he's going to become a world-famous musician. So, he doesn't need to study or to perform well at school because it's irrelevant … there is no plan B."

While his parents respect their son's aspirations — and being a musician is a long-term commitment of his — they still want to guide him towards other options and interests, because the music industry is notoriously difficult to crack, regardless of talent.

Another factor for Jane is that her son has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a diagnosis shared by over eight per cent of Australian children .

With more and more distractions available to teens (looking at you, phone!), it's no wonder parents can find it hard to get their children to take school seriously and get organised.

Why teens can struggle with organisation

While many parents focus on their children's final year of school, youth coach and author Claire Eaton says that setting your child up for success — whatever that looks like — needs to start earlier.

"It's really a six-year journey, and every year is setting the scene for the next year," says Ms Eaton, who has 20 years' experience in education, including as a teacher and deputy principal.

Parental As Anything: Teens host and teen educator Bec Sparrow says she often hears from parents whose children are struggling with the step up in study needed from the start of high school.

Ms Eaton says that's because skills they need including "time management, prioritising, organising yourself and task initiation" all happen in the frontal lobe .

"[And] a teenager's frontal lobe is going through so much change, development and renovation in their high school years and beyond."

The issue can also be heightened for kids with ADHD . 

Helping your child set up a plan

Ms Eaton says children often need their parents' help to identify their strengths and weaknesses, including when in the day and week they work best.

Many high schoolers, she explains, have meltdowns on Sunday evening or Monday morning when they realise they aren't ready for the week ahead.

That's why she recommends doing a "Sunday set-up": setting aside parent-led time on a Sunday to plan, with your child, their week ahead.

"It may feel like an absolute drag. My son complained about Sunday set-up from year seven to year 12 … but did it get him through? Absolutely."

"Planning reduces that natural overwhelm that can emerge on a Monday morning … and it frees up that young person's brain to show up, learn, be creative and be more spontaneous."

Ms Eaton says that it's great when our kids find something they love — like Jane's son and music — but it's easy for that to topple the balance of their lives. So she suggests negotiating with your child during that Sunday set-up.

"[Say to them:] 'If you want to do 10 hours a week of the thing you love, we need to schedule that for you because life is about … doing the things that light you up. But it's also, unfortunately, about doing the things that don't light you up so much.'"

How to motivate your child and get them to focus

Recent research showed that 83 per cent of Australian parents and carers felt their children were negatively distracted by digital devices.

To help your child focus on schoolwork, Ms Sparrow recommends having a routine study time when devices are away.

That doesn't necessarily mean they'll feel motivated, though.

As Ms Eaton points out, "The reality of school is that for many children, it's hard for them to see the value in it."

"I encourage young people to let go of that desire to feel motivated all the time and … rather than wait for motivation, tap into your 'why': the purpose and the reason that you're doing this."

And that purpose can be as simple as "completing this essay gets me more time to do the thing I love" or "finishing this equation gets my parents off my back".

Helping neurodivergent kids get organised

Jane's son is hoping to study music. But Jane is worried that his lackadaisical approach to study, coupled with disorganisation, will be a major impediment to completing a degree.

While medication has helped his ADHD, he still struggles with organisation and his parents have to step in.

"We have these structures in place because it can literally take half an hour in the morning to get him to put his school shoes on … his ability to manage his own time is non-existent, essentially," says Jane.

Ms Eaton says setting up good routines is a helpful first step — and not just for neurodivergent kids.

She says the number of small tasks that need to be completed in the morning — including toothbrushing, bag packing, preparing lunch or helping with household chores — can be very overwhelming to young people.

Ms Eaton recommends breaking all the tasks down into a tick-able list you can laminate and put up so your child can visualise what needs to be accomplished. You can approach the afternoon, when kids are exhausted from school and struggling to manage their time, in a similar fashion.

She also suggests attaching time limits to tasks to help your child understand how long certain things should take.

As Ms Sparrow points out: "If we have good habits or routines in place, it means we don't have to rely on motivation."

4 Practical Tips to Motivate Your Child at Home

• September 1, 2024
• Family Time Fun , Positive Parenting

Every child is a natural dreamer, full of curiosity, creativity, and the potential to achieve great things. To motivate your child at home , it’s crucial as parents to nurture those dreams, help them set goals, and foster an environment that inspires them to pursue their passions.

Explore practical and creative ways to create a motivational atmosphere at home that encourages your child to reach for the stars.

4 practical tips to motivate your child at home

1. create a vision board together.

Vision boards are a creative and engaging way for children to visualize their goals and dreams. By compiling images, words, and drawings that represent what they aspire to achieve, children can create a tangible reminder of what they are working towards.

How to get started: Gather magazines, print images, or draw pictures that represent your child’s goals and dreams. Use a poster board or corkboard to assemble the vision board together. Place it in a visible spot in your home where your child can see it regularly. Encourage them to add to it as they think of new goals or achievements. 

This activity not only helps children articulate their aspirations but also serves as a constant source of inspiration.

2. Create a family achievement board

Recognizing achievements, no matter how small, is essential for building confidence and motivation in children. A Family Achievement Board is a fantastic way to showcase and celebrate each family member’s successes, creating a positive and supportive environment.

How to get started: Choose a space in your home where everyone can see the board daily. You can use a physical board with colorful markers and stickers or create a digital version using customizable templates. Encourage your child to post their accomplishments, whether it’s finishing a book, learning a new skill, or getting a good grade. 

This visual representation of progress will remind them of their hard work and inspire them to keep going.

3. Introduce inspiring role models

Children often look up to role models who inspire them to pursue their passions. Introducing your child to stories of individuals who started chasing their dreams at a young age can be incredibly motivating.

How to incorporate this: Share stories of famous inventors, artists, athletes, or scientists who achieved great things by following their passions from a young age. 

For example, you could talk about how Malala Yousafzai started advocating for education as a child, or how Mozart composed music as a young boy. Discuss these stories with your child, and tie them back to activities or tools that can help them develop similar skills or interests. 

Whether it’s through books, videos, or activities, showing your child that others have walked a similar path can give them the confidence to pursue their own dreams.

4. Establish a daily reflection routine

Reflection is a powerful tool for children to understand their progress, celebrate their successes, and identify areas for growth. By incorporating a daily reflection routine, you can help your child develop a habit of self-awareness and continuous improvement.

How to get started: Set aside a few minutes each evening to reflect with your child on their day. Ask them what they enjoyed most, what challenges they faced, and what they learned. You can use a simple journal or a reflection jar where your child writes down or draws their thoughts on small pieces of paper. 

This routine not only reinforces a growth mindset but also provides a calm and positive end to the day, helping them prepare for the next.

Celebrating every step

Nurturing young dreamers is about more than just setting goals; it’s about creating a supportive environment that celebrates effort, progress, and individuality. By implementing these practical tips and activities, you can help your child develop a strong sense of motivation, self-worth, and the confidence to pursue their passions. 

Remember, every child’s journey is unique, and as parents, you have the incredible opportunity to guide them as they discover and achieve their dreams.

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Homework tips for the new school year

HAMBURG, N.Y. — The first week of school is rounding out on Friday, but it might come with a weekend challenge — homework.

Educators have some tips for you as we start this new school year. For every grade, the generally accepted rule is 10 minutes a night.

What You Need To Know

Expect 10 minutes of homework per grade level   don't force your child to finish an assignment they're struggling with write a note to the teacher and explain what was difficult.

The summer slide is real, and if you've noticed that in your student, you’re not alone. One of the most beneficial tips is to celebrate even the smallest of completions. Kids need to be motivated. Renee Kumiega, who is the principal at Cloverbank Elementary School says don’t be the bad guys — leave that to the educators. Kumiega says communication with your child’s educator is key.

We are rounding out the first week of school! I hope it well for your kiddos! This weekend might come with a challenge...homework! To finish my #BackToSchool series here are some tips on that thanks to @FrontierCSD . 📔✏️ pic.twitter.com/ph2D0R8YPC — Breanna Fuss (@BreannaFuss) September 6, 2024

“The attempt, the effort coming back to school, asking the question, that's the success," Kumiega said. "So if the paper isn't done, that's OK. But if the child can clearly tell the teacher what they struggled with, that's the success so that we can guide their instruction the next day.”

Kumiega says you can write a note at the top of the paper explaining what was difficult. You can send a message on whatever app you use as well.

In terms of when to do homework, Kumiega says you know your child best. Do what works for them.

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Essential Hacks to Make Your School Morning Easier

To welcome Back To School season at David Luke, we are all about making things easier. After releasing our new Essentials Back To School range , made to keep uniform simple (and sustainable!) for primary school children, we are looking for more ways to simplify your school morning routine.

Mornings are often the most chaotic part of the school days, especially when you're trying to get the whole family out the door on time. Between getting breakfast on the table, ensuring everyone is dressed, and remembering last-minute homework or forms, it's easy for stress to build up. But with a few simple school hacks, you can transform your school mornings from frantic to smooth. Just in time for the first day of school, we are here to help! Here’s how:

Prep the Night Before

It sounds cliché but it really does save you a world of stress. The easiest way to ease morning busyness is by doing as much as possible the night before. Lay out your kids' school uniform (and even your own clothes!) so they can slip them on quickly and efficiently. Pack those lunches, and gather all necessary school supplies so you’re almost ready to go. This can save you precious minutes in the morning and prevent the last-minute scramble.

*Pro Tip:* Why not involve your kids in the nightly prep? They can choose their uniform for the day ahead, help pack their lunches, and make sure their backpacks are ready. This not only lightens your load but also teaches them their own responsibility.

Create a Morning Routine Checklist

Consistency is key for a smooth morning and children work great with routine. A visual morning routine checklist can help your children know what to expect and what’s expected of them before school. Include simple tasks like brushing teeth, getting dressed, and eating breakfast for your children to remember themselves. Break the routine into small, manageable steps to help them stay on track and beat the clock.

*Pro Tip:* Use pictures for younger kids who can ’ t read yet, and reward them with a small treat or sticker when they complete their routine on time. After all, who doesn’t love a sticker?

Simplify Breakfast

Breakfast is essential but it doesn’t have to be complicated to be good. Opt for some easy, healthy options that can be prepped ahead of time and will give your children the best start to the day. Some kids breakfast ideas include overnight oats, smoothie packs, or pre-made muffins. If your children are old enough, let them choose their breakfast the night before so they’re excited to eat and won’t dawdle.

*Pro Tip:* Create a breakfast station with easy-to-grab options like fruit, yogurt, and granola bars. This gives your kids some independence and frees up your time.

Set Up a Command Center

Designate a specific area in your home as the “command centre” where everything school-related is organised. Have hooks for backpacks and their school blazer or coats, a bin for shoes, a place for important papers, and a calendar for tracking activities can make all the difference. This way, nothing gets lost, and everyone knows where to find what they need before the school run. With a bit of reorganisation, your morning will be a breeze.

*Pro Tip:* Place a whiteboard or corkboard in your command centre to leave notes, reminders, or encouraging messages for your kids. It’s a simple way to avoid forgetting and it’ll be exactly where they can see it!

  Wake Up Before the Kids

As tempting as it is to catch a few extra minutes of sleep, waking up even 15 minutes before your children can give you a head start. There’s nothing worse than getting ready in the morning half asleep and with little ones who are a bundle of energy. Use this time to enjoy a quiet cup of coffee, do a quick meditation, or review the day’s schedule. It’s a bit of important ‘me time’ that will set you up for success. You’ll feel more centred and better equipped to handle whatever the morning throws at you.

*Pro Tip:* Use those few minutes to do something that sets a positive tone for your day, like stretching or writing a short gratitude list. Positivity is key!

Keep Essentials Handy

There are always a few small things you never remember to pick up! Have a stash of essentials like socks, hair ties, and sunscreen in your command centre or a spot near the door. This way, you won’t have to hunt around the house when you’re running late for the school run. It’s a lifesaver!

*Pro Tip:* Create a “ grab-and-go” basket for each child with their own personalised essentials. They can take it to their room and bring it back to the command centre when done collecting their things.

Embrace a No-Device Policy

Not every child’s favourite hack but definitely an important one. Any morning routine for kids can be derailed by the distraction of screens and in such a short time window, there isn’t really a moment free for them to use them. Implement a no-device rule until everyone is ready for school. This keeps your kids focused on getting through their morning routine checklist rather than scrolling through games or videos. It can also be a reward for them once they’re done!

*Pro Tip:* If you need some background noise, play upbeat music that energizes everyone and keeps the mood light. It’s a great way to start the school days in a good mood.

Have a Plan for the Unexpected

Despite your best efforts, some school mornings just don’t go according to plan. Whether it’s bad traffic or something you’ve forgotten, it’s best to prepare. Build in a buffer for the unexpected by aiming to leave the house 10-15 minutes earlier than necessary. This extra time can absorb any last-minute issues without making you late and massively minimize any stress.

*Pro Tip:* Keep a “ car kit” with essentials like a comb, tissues, snacks, and a water bottle. If something was forgotten in the morning rush, you ’ re still covered.

With a little planning and some smart strategies, school mornings don’t have to be a daily struggle. By prepping ahead, creating a structured routine, and staying flexible, you can transform mornings into a time of connection rather than chaos. These school hacks will help you do just that!

Our new Essentials Back To School range is the perfect addition. With elasticated waists for easy pull-ons and relaxed, comfortable fits, it makes sure your children start off the day right. From new cargo shorts to our culottes, there’s so much love about our new primary school range. And, all of the products include recycled bottles in the material, how cool? Shop on David Luke .

Remember, it’s not about perfection but about finding what works best for your family and making adjustments along the way. Here’s to easier, happier school mornings!

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