Psychological reward system: Motivate children to do homework!

Homework – a challenge for many children and parents. The trick is not just to master the curriculum, but also to foster a healthy attitude toward school and learning. In this blog post, we dive into the psychological aspects of how we can get children to do their homework and how a reward system can work wonders.

September 4, 2023, is my son’s first day of school. I don’t know which of us is more nervous, haha. School bag, pencil case, gym bag... everything has been ready for weeks, and even the little things like a ruler, watercolors, and oil pastels have already been purchased according to the school supply list.

But how will the homework part work out? As a mother, I’m already thinking about how and when we will get it done every day. But even more important is the question: after 4–5 concentration-intensive hours of school in the morning, how do I get my child to sit down and be enthusiastic about reading, writing, and arithmetic in the afternoon?

Basically, children are naturally curious and eager to learn. So, we just need to maintain that motivation and promote a positive attitude toward school and learning. This can be achieved as follows:

The Psychology of Motivation

1. Setting clear expectations:
Children need clear guidelines. Set clear expectations regarding homework and insist that it must be done, but also leave room for personal responsibility.

2. Voluntary commitment:
Give your child a sense of control. Ask them to choose a set time for homework themselves. This fosters a sense of autonomy.

3. Goals and achievements:
Break homework down into smaller goals. A completed goal leads to a sense of accomplishment and provides motivation for the next tasks.

Increasing intrinsic motivation with such small tricks is great. However, I am also a big fan of small extrinsic rewards after the successful completion of a task.

Such a reward system can work wonders – AS LONG AS IT IS NOT BASED ON MATERIAL THINGS!!!

It doesn’t always have to be toys, and please, certainly not any sweets! We don’t want to teach our children that snacking or eating is a reward!!!

Why not reward our children with what they want most?!

QUALITY TIME!

Children often long for attention and time spent together with their parents. However, it should be a time of undivided attention... a time without distractions, without multi-tasking like cooking, cleaning, and unloading the dishwasher, and also without any technology... put the phone away!

Just you and your child!

This enhances the quality of the moment and ensures that your child feels heard and seen. And that is exactly what your child wants most of all!!!

Practical Implementation

1. Communication:
Discuss the reward system openly with your child. Let them make suggestions and contribute their opinion. It could be crafting, playing games, cooking together, or just taking a walk. This also strengthens your bond!

2. Structure:
Create a pleasant working environment. A tidy and quiet room encourages concentration and motivation.

3. Joint planning:
Sit down together and create a homework schedule. This provides structure and helps to avoid feeling overwhelmed.

4. Patience and flexibility:
Not every day will be the same. Be patient and pay attention to your child’s needs.

Take time for your child, let the adventure of learning begin together, and reward them after successful completion with what they want most!

Wishing you lots of motivation and success in the implementation,

your Martina from LIONHERZ