4 Strategies to Motivate Your Kid for Class!

4 Strategies to Motivate Your Kid for Class!

Does your kid ever feel unmotivated? Are you struggling to get them away from the tv or video games? Even the more dedicated Karate Kids have trouble keeping their motivation up. We know how hard it can be to convince kids to get out of the house, but here are four key strategies that may help you the next time it happens,

1. Be Positive

Remember, no matter what happens during class, the way you as a parent respond to their performance will affect them in the future. Reinforcing your child's efforts during class will help reinforce that they don't have to be perfect to have fun. As a parent, you should be your kids biggest cheerleader! Leave the criticism to the instructors. 

2. Avoid Burnout 

Children these days tend to be over scheduled. Make sure that your child isn’t simply running from activity to activity just to keep them busy. If your kid is going from school to soccer practice then straight to karate before heading home for dinner and homework, your child may be burnt out. If you’ve never heard of burn out, this is a form of exhaustion from excessive and prolonged emotional, physical, and mental stress. In many cases, burnout happens when your child is overwhelmed, emotionally drained, and unable to keep up with their rigid schedule. Make sure they have some time to relax and unwind - motivating an exhausted child can be impossible.

3. Be Prepared for Class

We always suggest preparing for class the night before. Make sure your child's gi, belt are layed out on their bed and their  water bottle is filled and ready to go! Reducing stress before class can help them relax your child  before heading into the studio. We have also found it’s beneficial to plan a chore or homework before class versus a playdate or an ice cream party. Keeping your child calm before class puts them in the right mindset to enter the studio with a good attitude and not feel like they are being dragged there. 

Talk to us!

If you’ve tried it all and feel like you are still struggling to motivate your child, come to us! Let your child's instructor know what is going on, this way we can help with a little extra motivation. That’s what we are here for. 

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