by Sandy Winn

Created on: May 21, 2008   Last Updated: June 02, 2008

Sometimes we, as parents, go into panic mode when one or more of our home schooled children does not seem motivated when it comes to their learning. Advice pertaining to this issue will vary and, depending on your parenting style, you most assuredly will gear more towards authors whose style is more in-line with your views. This article is from the perspective of a more relaxed home schooling approach.

I was not always a relaxed home schooling parent, in fact, I was very structured and felt the only way to motivate our son (our daughter has always been motivated) was by threatening longer lessons, more work, grades, etc. Allow me to share with you what has helped our son become a motivated learner and it all started with a simple change in my thought process...that was helped along by other home schoolers, books, articles, and simply observing life:

Humans, by nature, are curious and learners and achievers. Eventually, a baby will hold a bottle, they will roll over, learn to crawl, learn to climb, talk and so much more. Does a parent teach a baby to crawl or do they discover the benefits of crawling on their own? Have you ever tried to help a baby up onto a piece of furniture that they were determined to get up on their own? I don't know about all babies but it used too make mine angry if we tried to help, they would get right back off and try again. Does a parent get on the floor and attempt to teach a baby how to climb? I didn't. What about the priceless face a baby makes when they accomplish such a feat? They are so proud of themselves. When our now ten year old daughter was three and decided she wanted to tie her shoes by herself, she would get extremely upset if you tried to tie them for her. "I can do it, all by myself", was her reply and she would then untie the shoe and then try again. She spent hours one day tying and untying her shoes until she was able to do so consistently. Even when it comes to speaking, a healthy baby will pick it up naturally because they hear it all the time and want to communicate like their parents.

Many homeschooling parents motivate their home schooled children by simply stepping back and allowing them to progress at their own pace and learn what they are interested in as well as speaking with them regularly about what is to be expected once they fly the coop. A child is motivated to learn how to read when they want to be able to do, on their own, something like understand words on their favorite video game or read a story

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