Raising internally motivated kids can be difficult.

Work alongside your child...

Most children are highly motivated by a desire to be part of a community... 

To spark your child’s intrinsic motivation to help at home, try involving him in everyday life, in the daily work of the household... Rather than assigning a task like asking him to go clean his room while you clean the kitchen, invite him to help you fold the laundry or cook dinner with you... Is this the fastest way to get things done?  No, definitely not. But it will become a time of bonding rather than a time of nagging and resisting... It will help your child experience the good feelings that come from helping just to be a good family member, rather than to earn money or a sticker on a chart...

Raising internally motivated kids can be difficult. It means we can’t always use the quick fix that will get our child to sit quietly in the grocery cart or leave the park without a fuss...  But it’s worth the effort to protect the natural drive that every child is born with –that desire to work hard and master new skills just for learning’s sake...