Stay Motivated – Tips on How Parents Can Help Their Students This Year
The start of the new school year brings many feelings for parents and students alike. Maybe it’s the excitement of seeing friends again, the nerves that come with a new teacher or classroom, or a mix of both.
As parents, we want them to start strong, even as we too are getting our feet under us in a new school year. Beyond preparing lunches and checking homework, we play a key role in encouraging a positive attitude and helping them stay motivated. A strong start sets the tone for the year and can shape whether they feel confident, engaged, and ready to learn.
So, how can we help spark and sustain our kids’ motivation? It starts with understanding what drives them. Research suggests the most powerful kind of motivation comes from within. Things like interest, enjoyment, and a sense of fulfillment—what we call intrinsic motivation—are often triggered by exploration, play, or mastering a new skill. When paired with positive feedback, these experiences reinforce feelings of excitement and joy, helping to build a lasting drive to learn and succeed.
Tips to Help Them Stay Motivated
At the heart of it, motivation is strongest when it’s rooted in autonomy and positivity. Here’s how parents can help nurture that at any age:
Focus on effort, not just outcomes.
Let’s face it… sometimes kids work hard and don’t get the result they hoped for. If we only praise good grades, even if our children consistently put in effort, we may send the message that effort doesn’t matter. Over time, this can lead kids to believe that being smart is something you’re born with, not something you build, which can diminish motivation.
When we praise their process, including their hard work and persistence, we help them stay motivated to keep trying, even when it’s hard.
Talk about what’s going well.
Gratitude isn’t just good for mental and physical health; it can also boost motivation. Research shows that students who focus on what’s going well are more likely to experience positive emotions, which leads to a boost in motivation, academic engagement, and achievement.
To put this into practice, ask your child what went well during their school day. Talk about their favorite subject and what they learned about. This is a great way to help them see that there are good things happening, even on the most challenging days.
Show genuine interest and encourage curiosity.
It feels good to be excited about something and have someone show the same level of excitement and curiosity. Bring that energy into your conversations about school. If a topic sparks their interest, ask more questions and learn alongside them. Kids tend to model their parents’ behavior, and if you show curiosity and enthusiasm, they’re likely to do the same.
Encourage them to explore those interests even further at home and at school. For instance, students at West Virginia Virtual Academy can access a Learning Hub filled with enrichment materials like Minecraft Education games and STEM simulations that allow them to dive deeper into interesting topics.
Encouraging independence helps them stay motivated.
Kids are naturally drawn to exploration. Young children explore through play, while teens seek out new and exciting experiences. No matter their age, exploration fosters learning, independence, and motivation.
Giving your child space to safely explore allows them to independently overcome challenges and learn from their mistakes. It helps them build confidence in their decision making and fuels motivation to keep going and succeed.
If your child is older, let them take ownership of their school responsibilities with guidance. Parents of West Virginia Virtual Academy students often say that learning from home helps students build independence because they can take charge of their own learning and pace, with the support of a teacher and parent.
Model motivation and positivity in your own life.
Kids learn by watching their parents. When we model motivation and positivity, we lay a foundation for how they learn to respond to challenges. Sharing our experiences of working hard, overcoming obstacles, and staying focused and positive demonstrates that hard work and resilience can be rewarding.
Motivation is something that our children must find within themselves, but we have the power to nurture it. This school year, let’s encourage our children through every challenge, no matter what the outcome is. By praising their efforts, focusing on the positive, and encouraging their curiosity and independence, we can help them feel ready to take on the year with confidence.
