5 Tips On How To Motivate Your Teenager To Study Better

5 Tips To Motivate Your Teenager To Study Better

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How to motivate teenagers to study is a common question of parents. Sometimes, teens need the motivation to focus on their studies since most of them tend to spend more time on social media, watching TV shows, or anything else other than academics.

Establishing good communication and bonding with your teen can help you explain to them the importance of studies. However, it is also necessary to approach it positively. Punishments or forceful approaches can demotivate them and make them feel misunderstood or unworthy.

If you are a parent who wants to inspire your child and urge them to achieve their full potential but is stuck on motivating your teen for studying, we bring you some interesting tips.

5 Tips To Motivate Your Teenager To Study Better

Here are a few simple things that you can do to learn how to motivate your teenager to study:

1. Empathize:

Understand how your teen feels and thinks

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To motivate teenagers to study, you must understand their feelings and thoughts. You need to put yourself in their shoes. Teenagers are extremely emotional and sensitive. Talk and try to understand their point of view then explain yours in a way that will persuade them to take their studies seriously.

It is important to understand why your young teenager does not want to do his or her work.
The best way to deal is to confront them and find out what is stopping them from studying.
Your teenager could be inclined towards one subject and fear or not like the other.
Your child could be finding it difficult to cope or understand what is being taught in class.
Talking to your teen will help you to empathize and identify the source of the problems.

Point to consider

Offer a shoulder to your teen so they open up about topics they wouldn’t generally discuss with you. Don’t judge, only listen!

2. Get Started:

Teens usually get tired after a long day and can be lazy about doing their homework. So just telling your teenager to study will not suffice.

Sit with your teen and help them figure out how to go about it. Sort out tasks that they might be finding difficult.
You can look for a tutor who’d be willing to teach and assist your teenager with studies.
It’s just a slight push that your teenager needs in this phase.

3. Remember – Yelling Never Helps, Discussing Does:

Discuss calmly how studying is going to benefit your teen

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Scolding your teenager for the smallest of errors isn’t going to do much good. If you keep shouting at her for everything, your teen will emotionally distance herself and may stop listening to you as a sign of protest.

Be kind, calm and soft, but firm on your note.
Make her understand why you think it is necessary to study.
Discuss calmly how it is going to benefit her. It is a lot more effective than random yelling and long lectures.

Point to consider

Try to focus on the positives of their performance rather than the negatives. Even if your teen has not scored well, point out their achievements and encourage them to perform the same next time.

4. Don’t Raise Expectations:

Very high expectations can constrain your teenager and make them feel pressurized

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Don’t raise your expectations very high the first time. Often very high expectations can constrain your teenager and make her anxious and pressurized.

Emphasize more on a regular pattern and hard work.
Teach your teenager to aim for small and successive goals one at a time.
Teach her to set another goal once she has achieved a previous one.
Working through successive goals will help your teen learn and achieve more in the long run.

5. Emphasize On Extra Curricular Activities:

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Make sure that your emphasis on studying does not curb creative interests and other productive activities.

Encourage your teen to go out and play.
Help them dedicate time for their various interests and hobbies.
Doing this will not only refresh your teenager’s mind but will also be a good investment of time into enhancing skills.

Remember:

Motivating your teenager doesn’t mean getting her to do what you want.
The real trick for getting teenagers to study is through involvement, joint problem-solving and a subtle follow up for support and supervision.
Above all, never hesitate to compliment whole-heartedly on your teenager’s slightest achievement and try to incentivize them occasionally to stimulate their interest.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How do you motivate an unmotivated teenager?

You may motivate your unmotivated teenager by helping them recognize their worth, making them feel competent, and maintaining a close relationship. By evoking curiosity, giving challenging tasks, and praising often, you can prompt your unmotivated teenager to explore their unique interests and skills (1) (2). One way to ignite motivation in teenagers is to help them set goals and encourage them to achieve these goals

2. Why does my teen have no motivation?

Teenagers may lack motivation for many reasons, such as fear of failure, lack of responsibility, low self-esteem, a feeling of inadequacy, lack of drive, lack of ambition, and an unfavorable home environment. However, finding the right approach to communicate with them can excite their curiosity and interest (3) (4).

It is common for teens to indulge in activities other than studies, leaving parents wondering how to motivate teenagers to study. One effective way to motivate teenagers to study is to find ways to arouse and galvanize their interest in their academic pursuits. Some ways to help develop their interest in studies include sitting with them to have a conversation about studies, being empathetic toward their feelings and thoughts, having polite and fruitful discussions, and setting realistic goals for encouragement. Remember not to yell or discourage them, as it will negatively affect your relationship. Instead, you may motivate them and boost their confidence with positive rewards to keep them interested in studying.

Infographic: Common Distractions During Teenagers’ Study Time

Teenagers must realize the importance of good education, as studying well will help them become well-rounded individuals. Identifying the main factors that hamper children’s studies can help parents rectify the problem. To help you with that, the infographic below presents various factors that distract teens from studies.

distractions that may disrupt your teens studies (infographic)

Get high-quality PDF version by clicking below.

Download Infographic

Key Takeaways

Build strong relationships and openly communicate with your child to help them understand the importance of studying.
Figure out why your children are unwilling to study and confront the issue.
Encourage your child to pursue their interests and participate in extracurricular activities alongside their studies.
Use a calm approach to encourage your child to study, avoiding scolding and imposing expectations on them.
Always offer honest compliments to your child for their achievements.

References:

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