Useful tips to motivate your teenager

If you are a parent of a teenager, you know the struggles of figuring out how to motivate them in the right ways. The most dreaded term you probably hear is “whatever” or “I don’t care!” You may find it extremely difficult to get your teenager to do what they feel and know is right.

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If you have been struggling to motivate your teenager, it’s time to start understanding and working towards motivating them now!

Understand the reason behind lacking motivation:
The first step to motivating your teen is to know the reason behind the lack of motivation. The biggest reason is the inability to see benefits.
- Sit down and discuss the long term benefits of studying
- Try to make them understand how finishing their homework and taking studies seriously will help in the future
- The moment your teenager sees the bigger picture and realizes the importance, they will be motivated enough to pursue it seriously.

5 Tips on How to Motivate Your Teenager:
Apart from understanding the reasons, here are five effective tips on how to motivate teenagers to study towards his or her brighter future.

1. Appreciate and Compliment:
- You too need appreciation to get motivated.
- Compliments make your teen feel better and help them do even better.
- Compliment their efforts and appreciate their hard work.

2. Agreements and Deals:
One the best and positive ways of motivating your teenager is to settle for agreements and deals.
- When you don’t see your teenager preparing enough for their upcoming exams and spending more time with friends, it’s time to make a deal.
- Explain how studying should be their priority at this point and they can spend as much time with their friends later.
- The trick here is to stick to your deals.
- Don’t forget the deal once you get what you want.

3. Don’t Nag:
The moment you get into the nagging mode, your teenager will cut off from everything you want him to do. Stop nagging about everything. Discuss the consequences beforehand. Make your point clear.

4. Support Your Teenager, No Matter What:
It is important for your teenager to feel loved in every condition. Your support means the most.
- Do not let your teenager feel that you love them only when they do a good job.
- Such feelings create pressure and hence make your teenager lack motivation.
- If you teenager comes up to you and shares about failing, be positive and guide them properly.
- Tell them that you appreciate the fact that they came up and shared the news with you.
- Tell them you are sure about how they can do better and that everyone goes through ups and downs.
- Such positive support motivates teenagers the most.

5. Help Them Start:
Your teenager may find it difficult to get up and start something they should.
- Involve yourself in your teen’s activities
- Share personal stories about how motivated you were in your teens and how it helped you shape life.
- Set a time for everything and help your teenager stick to it.
- When your teen is trying to do something, try and create an environment that doesn’t distract him.

Freedom is Important:
Your teenager just needs that initial push.
- Be positive and help them sail through this difficult phase of their life with your support and motivation. Yet do not overdo it.
- Your job is to guide and motivate
- But in the process of doing so, do not take away your teenager’s freedom.
- Give them the freedom to do things as when they feel right.
- Do not create restrictions all the time. The moment you give them freedom, they will feel entrusted and it will give them a sense of responsibility.

Share your story about how you motivate your teenager? Do you have any special tips or tricks that you use?

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