A friend and I were talking about manners the other day and she told me about a Farsi saying in her culture. “Who taught you to be polite?” The answer is: “Those who were impolite to me.”  I wonder what life would be like if every time someone irritated, hurt, slighted, or offended me I learned a lesson for myself about manners.

BE -learning

This is the last part of our series on motivating your children by Debbie Elder.

 The “E” in “Motivating Your Child is as Easy as P.I.E., is for Enthusiasm. Success breeds success! Have your student describe the reason for their school success. Have them name their successful strategies. Have them keep a victory journal of all their life successes and victories including school success! Have them write out their 101 wishes and explain them in detail. In this way schooling can be tied directly to the things that they desire.

Be Their Cheerleader! Catch your student being good! Acknowledge the good habits you see. Be careful with praise, yet lavish with specific encouragement and acknowledgement. Encouragement is the process of focusing on the child’s assets and strengths in order to build their self confidence and feeling of worth. Encouragement holds a student as capable of finding the answer or solution for themselves: “I know you can handle it,” “I know you can do it,” “I like the way you are working.”

 You can coach your student to success by acknowledging specifically what you want repeated. Encourage immediately. Be Consistent and genuine. Give recognition for good habits, not just scores, readily. Let them over-hear you talking positively about them. Be careful with “But that is expected.” If you want a behavior to continue –acknowledge it! Have a vision for your student. Ask them what motivates them and be ready to support them in a way that works for them.

One idea I found successful was after a really great day asking my student, “What five things are you going to do differently because of today?”

 Thanks, Debbie

 And I would add, that is a great question for all of us, each and every time we are successful!

Blessings,

BE -inspiring