DreamBlueprints

4 Easy Ways to Motivate Your Teen June 24, 2009

1. Congratulations

Everyone likes to be celebrated. Doesn’t it feel good when someone recognizes you for doing something right? So, it goes without saying that if you want to motivate your teen to stay on track, then you should celebrate them whenever they take a step in the right direction. If they’ve done well or are improving in school, if they’ve been responsible with their chores, or if they’ve made a good decision without you hovering over their shoulder, then you should recognize it. Let them know how proud you are. This step alone could make a world of difference in your teen.

2. Consequences

There are consequences for every action, and your teen must know that every negative action will be met with the appropriate consequences. Discipline and structure are very important for a young person. Having structure at home teaches them that there are certain boundaries and guidelines that they must follow. Consequences will help your son or daughter to be mindful and responsible for their actions. Without them they will lack the since of direction needed to navigate into adulthood successfully. There are rules for every area of life–school, work, family, relationships, society, etc. Even games have rules, and if your teen doesn’t have the proper guidelines to direct him, then he will be a loser in the game of life.

3. Cash

Is money the root of all evil? Certainly not! Especially when it comes to your teen. There are few things that motivate teenagers (or any of us for that matter) like money or some tangible form of reward. When possible, use rewards to stimulate and reinforce good behavior in your teenager. This doesn’t have to be your primary means of motivating them, but it will probably be one of the most effective.

4. Caring

Always try to be as caring and understanding as possible when attempting to motivate your teenager. Nothing is more motivating to them than knowing that they have the love and support of their parents. Keep them first and never let your ambitions for them come before their well-being. As a parent you want the best for your children, but its easy to over do it sometimes. There is a fine line between motivating and manipulating. Have high expectations, but don’t overpressure them. We all need enough time and space to develop our potential. Try to remember how it was for you as a kid because chances are that they are very similar to what you were like at that age.

My most import piece of advice for anyone raising a teen is DON’T WORRY. If they have good loving parents–which you probably are if you bothered to read this entire article–then they‘ll turn out just fine. You are the number one influence in their lives. If you set a fine example for them, “when they grow old they will never depart from it”. (Proverbs 22:6)