What we sometimes need is a simple, small nudge to get moving. Those little actions create momentum, and with momentum all things are possible. When it comes to children, it can be tricky to know what the future holds. By gently guiding them and helping them recognize interests along with allowing them new experiences, you’ll find your child moving in a natural progression toward achievement.
Take in mind, we’re not talking about award-winning, trophy-topping kind of things here. We’re talking about simple things in life and getting more comfortable with learning, expanding their horizons, and basics that we all go through. Realistic momentum are the bits of life that make a difference. Those bits are the true building blocks of how we function and get things accomplished.
With that in mind, here are 8 tips to help unlock your child’s potential.
8 Ways to Build Momentum to Enhance a Child’s Growth
1. What is your child interested in?
2. How do they learn?
3. Open them to new experiences and possibilities.
4. Creative Expression is an important outlet.
5. Celebrate wins for continued motivation.
6. Be flexible and help them understand errors.
7. Teach problem-solving skills.
8. Set good examples
A child’s interest should be a key trigger for you. If they show an interest in a topic, explore it both vertically and horizontally. Are there other ways to help them grow? Let’s look at the example of cooking. Maybe you noticed your child loved baking cupcakes with you. Consider looking at other avenues like the science of baking and measurements. Consider savory foods and understanding how flavors work together. You could look at different cultural foods and try new things. Keep your child’s age in mind when selecting other opportunities. Maybe a cooking class would be a chance for them to explore their interest. Watch a cooking show together and discuss what they enjoyed about it.
How does your child learn? Are they visual learners? Do they absorb information better when they see it in video format? Or do they prefer to listen to stories, like audio books? Maybe they are better at learning something when they can do it themselves, with tactile learning. Knowing how your child learns can help you direct them to growing their interest in a new way. Audio learners might enjoy podcasts about a topic on long drives. Maybe tactile learners would do well with a STEM hands-on class. Regardless the topic of interest, knowing how they learn helps you direct the path. Do they love art? Go to a museum, take a pottery class, or look at art books together.
Open their eyes to new experiences. Doing the same thing all the time limits the opportunity to explore possibilities. A trip to the farm might spur an interest in agricultural or husbandry. Maybe the local 4-H is having an event nearby. What about going on a hike as a family and exploring the different plants and insects you see? Biology can be fascinating when it’s fun. Head to the planetarium and let them see the stars in a new, exciting way. Maybe you have a future astronomer on your hands.
Creative expressions such as drawing, writing, or even singing and acting can be an opportunity to express themselves in ways they weren’t doing previously. Showing them there are various channels of creation can help open them to better self-expression along with a love for a new medium. Creativity offers a healthy means of expression and communication.
Celebrate wins. Motivation comes in all forms. By encouraging good moments, you feed into the part of the brain that seeks that good feeling again. Teach your children that working to achieve something can feel amazing when you stick with it. Motivate your children and encourage them to stick with things even when they are difficult.
We all make mistakes. How we handle them or react to them is important. Teach your child that mistakes are part of life, and how to learn from them. Belittle them, and you shut them down. Build them up, and they’ll learn to look at the mistake in a more analytical way. Discuss how something could have been done differently for a better outcome. This is a skill that will help them through life. Teach your child not to fear mistakes, but rather to learn from them.
Mazes are fun. You draw a line through the maze, hoping to find your way out. Instead, you hit a dead end, so you turn around and try again. What do mazes have to do with anything? They are a great way to show younger children how to problem solve. There are plenty of ways to do this, and this is only one example. But, what problem-solving can teach a child is a healthy way to look at a problem. This didn’t work. How else can I handle the issue? Problem solving can be escape rooms, puzzles, and so much more. Learning to solve a problem comes in handy with things like math word problems. You know the ones, if 10 people go to the store, and only 5 people buy apples…yes, anyway, it comes down to thinking about multiple solutions. This is not an all or nothing world, and problem solving teaches a child that a road block doesn’t mean the end. It means, you find a new way to do something.
Lastly, set good examples. Children learn what they see. What are you teaching them, without even realizing?
About the Author
Kelly Hater has over 15 years of coaching experience along with a B.S. in Health Promotion specialized in Exercise Science.
She specializes in helping clients overcome mom burnout, providing a clear, decisive plan that leads her clients on a path of success. Her clients no longer let mom guilt steal their identity and goals. Moms deserve to be happy and live a fulfilling life. She personally has overcome overwhelming struggles herself. Get the accountability needed to take action. As a mom of two she gets it! BOOK A FREE CALL