I was just wondering what you do to teach or encourage motivation. I am homeschooling my oldest. He is 6 and half way through 2nd grade. He just isn’t motivated at all right now. He requires constant watching or he doesn’t do anything. I think the new has worn off or something. He is very smart. He doesn’t have to really think about his answers. He just doesn’t want to do it. I want to teach him the joy of learning. Is this something that will just come with age, or is there something that anyone else has tried that really works.
Sometimes during the winter months this does happen it may be time to introduce hands on learning like cooking, playing games all day, computer time, visiting a relative, etc. Sometimes kids need a little break or transition time during the winter months. I have seen this many of times even in public schools. Find something like art, music lessons, something to do with the hands. Also allowing a relative or friend or spouse to help you during this time by temporarly teaching that helps as well. and if you don’t have a reward system if you believe in that then that would help. we have a chart that is sheet protected with smileys on it onc ethe activity is complete the smiley is circled in. if there are 5 smileys out of 10 circled then a reward is given. the child has a choice of his/her reward like a favorite book, tv show or movie, play with a pet, or something the child really loves. mine are similiar to those but i added cooking time with mommy, washing dishes, race time with daddy, eating something special like a date with Granny, things like that.
Just sort of of get off of schedule then when the anxiety leaves return to your schedule.
and one more thought are you feeding him/her anythin g differnet or drinking anything different? is the child feeling well. sometimes LO’s can’t tell us what is going on. Mine will stub up as I call it when something as happened or when they have a bad dream, or if they don’t feel well and can’t seem to tell me. Of course I have 1 hyper, 1 laid back with no cares, and the other one excited all the time about new things.
i hope this helps. Sometimes a little siesta time is needed as well.
also boredom is another issue, if the child is advancing at a high rate then boredom can show up if the child isn’t being challenged enough. try changing around the content a little not much to see if there is any reaction. just have to trial and error it some times.
Thanks for the great ideas! We have decided to go 4 days with regular work and one day with something really fun but educational with the family. We are hoping it will give him something to really look forward to. I guess we just have to keep changing it up to keep it fresh and interesting. I wonder, too, if it will make a difference when his two younger sisters are doing more stuctured work on a regular basis. Who wants to work if your sisters are somewhere in the house playing, right.