Help your child want to do things (without the nagging, bribing or battles!)

As parents, we spend a surprising amount of time trying to get our children to do things. Whether it’s practising an instrument, eating healthy foods, completing homework or helping around the house, it can sometimes feel like an uphill battle. And while threats, bribes and rewards might get the job done in the short term, you may wonder whether there’s a better way to help your child become genuinely motivated to do things for themselves.

In this practical, research-based masterclass, Jess Kingsford explores how motivation works and, more importantly, how you can create the conditions that help your child develop a genuine desire to learn, grow and contribute, without always having to push them along.

Understand what really motivates your child:

Drawing on Self-Determination Theory, a well-established theory of human motivation developed by psychologists Edward Deci and Richard Ryan, Jess explains the difference between low-quality and high-quality motivation.

You’ll discover why children who are motivated primarily by threats, material rewards or a desire to impress others tend to enjoy activities less, give up more readily when things get difficult and be less inclined to choose those activities again when the external incentives disappear.

By contrast, when children experience the right conditions while doing something, they’re more likely to enjoy the activity, persist when it gets challenging, engage more deeply and want to do it again, without needing a bribe or reward.