Does your teen seem to have no motivation at all? The phrases “Whatever” and “I don’t care” are all too familiar with parents of teenagers. So, how do you motivate teens nowadays?
Motivating an unmotivated teenager can be a challenge. It can be impossible when you consider that our teen’s routines have been completely upset by the global pandemic we’re experiencing and that anxiety levels are at an all-time high.
Most often, their motivation comes from wanting to hang out with friends, binge-watch their favorite Netflix episodes, beat a new level in their favorite video game, or sleep in till noon. Some teenage people are even driven to evade accountability at all means.
Although they may not use their motivation effectively, they do have motivation, thus despite what you may see as a teen’s “unmotivated teenager,” there is actually a layer of ambition present that only needs to be sparked.
Things Parents Have to Do with an Unmotivated Teenager
If you’re the parent of a teen, you are aware of how much they like debating and challenging ideas.
We all want to see our kids put their best foot forward, whether that means achieving better academic ranks, taking on responsibilities like keeping their room tidy and helping with household chores, or applying themselves more when you know they are more than capable. Here are things you can start doing today to motivate teens.
Listen
In order to encourage our unmotivated teenager to put mind and heart into a task, challenge, or project rather than just “going through the motions,” we as parents must delve deeply into their hearts to find what inspires, drives, and motivates teens.
We must also analyze any barriers that may be keeping them from feeling motivated. We can’t accomplish that if we’re the ones talking and constantly reminding them of their failing grades, demanding that they get out of bed, or criticizing how lazy they are.
Spend some time listening. Ask questions. Find out what worries, fears, passions, and self-confidence-boosting things your kid is thinking about. You can start to understand why your unmotivated teenager and what they require in life to inspire drive and ambition as you learn to help communicate with what your child is feeling.
Have faith in your child
You know of your child’s capability. In fact, you probably know your child better than they do. And the cause of your frustration is their inability to acknowledge their value and lack of motivation to rise to the challenge and be their best selves.
You might not be aware, yet, that your unmotivated teenager is closely related to their confidence. Your unmotivated teenager won’t be motivated if they feel inadequate, secretly doubt their ability to do well in school, or believe that others are more capable. Their self-talk is slowly eroding their motivation, enthusiasm, and self-worth.
No matter how small, we must help unmotivated teenager see their abilities and have faith in them. In order to give them the confidence to believe they can improve and fight when life throws unmotivated teenager a curveball, we need to find ways to enhance unmotivated teenager self-esteem by encouraging them to try new things and move outside of their comfort zone.
Help Them Create a Clear Roadmap
Unmotivated teenagers’ incapacity to break down tasks and create a clear plan of action to achieve a goal is one of the reasons they lack motivation. It’s not that they don’t want to work harder or achieve; they just feel overwhelmed and give up because they don’t know how to move from point “A” to point “B.” Lay it out for them so they may understand what actions they must do to improve their academic performance or become more organized.
Maybe what your disorganized kid needs to get and stay organized is a great student planner, a homework schedule, a relaxing and cool study area, or a number of excellent organizational applications. Not that you should handle everything for them, but they might require some first direction. Their confidence will surge once they start to see the results of their labour, which often inspires them to take the lead and motivate teens to study.
Consider the key motivators
What inspires one child might not inspire another. Some youngsters are driven solely by cash. Others are inspired by the sense of superiority (or at least better than a few others). Additionally, some people are motivated because they enjoy receiving praise or acknowledgment from their loved ones, friends, instructors, etc.
It’s also important to make sure that they are getting the nutrition and supplements they need while they are still studying. Besides vitamins, fruits, and veggies, you could also consider some of the best nootropics for studying.
Support their goals and offer rewards to motivate your teens. If money is the key motivator, motivate teenager to study by offering to buy their favorite movie game for your unmotivated teenager or to take your unmotivated teenager shopping for a new, cheap top at the mall. (It’s not “technically” bribery if the prizes aren’t given to your unmotivated teenager and they believe they earned them.) When your unmotivated teenager sets out to accomplish a goal and receives a reward for their hard work, you want them to feel empowered.
FAQs
What about kids who ask for help getting started?
It’s crucial to discuss with an unmotivated teenager who might look for help in original ways. Here, parents want to see children picking up skills like how to ask for help and make use of their resources. Although with parents helping, it’s crucial for your child to learn how to ask for help.
What about procrastination or being lazy?
Most kids just lack a strategy. Therefore, in his mind, this project—which is actually pretty small—grows into a monstrous beast. Oh my god, there is no way I can do this, he starts to think.
Stop placing your children at a handicap by taking care of their needs. Instead, give them the power to do it themselves by helping them in developing a plan.
Kids can sometimes be overscheduled. It makes sense that they would experience overwhelm in the situation. I believe it’s crucial that you help your child in setting positive goals and then ensure that the things to which he or she is responding positively or negatively line up with those goals.
What’s a good way to explain what the “WHY”
Children usually ask, “Why am I doing this? What motivates me to care about this history project? And you can’t say, “Because I told you so,” in return. Even the answer “because this is your job and school work” cannot be the answer.
Your unmotivated teenager needs to have the inner courage to overcome the inconveniences, shortcomings, and difficulties that will surely occur when he tries a difficult task. Teens must therefore understand their motivations for doing things, not just that they must do them.
Conclusion
It will take time to motivate your teen to do their best or try their hardest. Consider the process as a journey rather than the final destination. Your child is learning about life, about themselves, and what they are capable of with each new challenge, goal, victory, or accomplishment. They are developing and becoming more self-assured. Encourage your teen by modelling the ability to overcome difficulties. Recognize that they are unavoidable and take solace in the fact that raising a responsible, diligent, and driven adult is a process. After all, raising our children is a marathon, not a sprint.
