How to Motivate Your College Kid to Perform Better

Your child is fresh out of high school and is now gearing up to go to college.

Parents will be worried about this new phase of life, especially how well their kid is going to do in college.

It is natural to want your child to do well in class since parents are often very invested in their children’s academic life.

College is exciting as well as scary for new students since it is entirely different from high school and demands a different kind of commitment and hard work.

There are several ways you can help motivate your college kid to do well in college.

Share Their Excitement

Going to college is an exciting thing for most youngsters so sharing their excitement with them will give them a much-needed boost.

You can do this by making preparations, running errands with them, getting them the stuff they need, packing lots of homemade snacks and helping them set up their college dorms.

Acting uninterested or telling them there is nothing to be excited about will make them feel unmotivated and less confident about going away from home.

Have An Open & Honest Discussion With Them

Before your kid leaves for college make sure you all sit down together for an open conversation.

Be clear about what they can expect from college and what things they should avoid and stray away from. Don’t sugarcoat anything but tell everything as it is.

Make it clear that they are going to college to get an education, and that’s a privelege so studying should be their top priority. 

Along with this you should also motivate them to participate in extracurricular activities and social events.

Encourage Them To Get Help When Necessary

It is perfectly normal for your college kid to feel stressed or overwhelmed by assignments or studies.

If your kid tells you that he is having a hard time academically encourage him to take extra help. This can be in the form of extra classes or external resources.

It can be in the form of extra study materials, outside tuition or even online tools and resources. 

For example, online writing tools can really help students who struggle with writing essays. These essays are drafted by professional writers who have a lot of experience in the field.

If any of your friends have a child who is or was a college student, take their recommendations for resources or classes your child can make use of.

Check-In At Regular Intervals

As a parent, you should call and talk to your child to check in and see how he or she is doing. 

Make sure you make them feel comfortable enough to be open and honest with you. Listen to their struggles and consider what you can do to help or make them feel better.

If they are having a difficult time focusing or getting good grades try to give them tips on how they can concentrate on their studies better. This can be simple things like getting them a planner or offering to help them create a study schedule.

Your encouragement and motivation can do a lot for them even if it is just a few words.

Encourage Their Talents

Remind your kid about their talents and encourage them to pursue them and take up new challenges. 

Whether it be in the form of additional courses or an internship, get them excited about their potential and what they can achieve if they work hard for their goals.

Give Them Space

As a parent, it is natural to worry about your child’s whereabouts or wonder what he or she is doing at all times. But it is important to give them space.

Don’t bug them constantly and let them learn by doing things on their own. 

This doesn’t mean you can’t give them advice but you should let them make their own decisions and figure out stuff for themselves. 

If they make mistakes, they will learn from it.

Even if your kid starts off unsteady in college, they will soon get used to the whole routine and make progress.

Don’t worry if things are a little messy in the middle, just know that it will take time for your kid to adjust academically as well as mentally in a new environment.