Motivation isn’t elusive just for kids—everyone has had those days where finding the will to get what you need to do done just isn’t happening. It’s those moments when motivation is nowhere to be found that make the difference between the ultra-successful and everyone else.
Giving your child a guide to pushing forward with their martial arts practice or any other endeavor even when they aren’t motivated is the gift that keeps on giving.
How Motivation Helps Children
Motivation is a valuable resource, but it doesn’t always show up when you need it. For kids involved in martial arts, learning to keep up their practice even when they don’t feel like it is a vital part of the value in martial arts training.
Yet, learning what to do when motivation isn’t pushing you forward is useful for every part of life, from learning new skills to getting schoolwork done or starting new projects like a business or a book. Teaching your child how to move forward when they aren’t feeling motivated gives them a powerful tool for making progress even when everyone else has given up.
Kick Out the Comparisons
When it comes to learning anything new or just sticking to the pursuit of a skill, avoiding comparisons is crucial to keeping motivation alive. It’s natural for kids to notice when others are ahead of them in something, but this is when you can step in and help them develop a healthier thought process that prevents them from feeling unmotivated.
Help your child understand that everyone has their own journey and goes at different speeds—some people might be faster at one thing but slower at another. At the end of the day, it’s where you are at that moment, but how much consistent effort you’ll put in that determines your success.
At Premier Martial Arts, we create an environment that helps naturally motivate kids and train their minds for motivation and achievement as much as their bodies for health and fitness. Find a location near you to help keep your child healthy and motivated.
Make the Hard Parts Fun
Motivation can start to wane when the time for practice comes along. While learning something new can be exciting, practicing that new knowledge is harder and less interesting in the moment. Yet, practice is a superpower when it comes to achieving goals and growing.
If you’re wondering how to keep your child motivated when they don’t want to practice, consider this a teachable moment instead of an obstacle. Make practice time more fun by turning it into a game with rewards to help your child get a better sense of the way effort pays off. You can also switch practice time up and provide an example to them that a little creativity, whether changing locations, adding music, or having a friend join, can change a tiring task into something new and interesting.
Get Involved In Their Effort
It’s hard for kids to stay motivated because it’s not as easy for them to keep the long-term benefits of their efforts involved—that’s where you come in. Nothing makes a child more excited than seeing their parents take an interest and be impressed by their efforts. HealthyPlace suggests considering yourself more as a motivational coach than a source of motivation.
If your child isn’t feeling motivated, get them talking about their efforts with some keys questions:
- What is your favorite martial arts move?
- What’s the last thing you learned?
- What do you like about training?
Not only will these questions give your child a motivation boost based on your enthusiasm, but they’ll also help rekindle your child’s interest.
Try Something New
If you’re still struggling with how to keep your child motivated in martial arts, it might be time to try something new. At Premier Martial Arts, we offer an expert-designed and child-friendly curriculum to make training in martial arts enriching and enjoyable for kids.
