How to Motivate Children (Handouts)

9 Motivators

“How to Motivate Children”

     Emotional drivers are the key to motivating yourself and others. Humans are emotional beings and not logical beings and so we are driven by how we feel about things. You might think a child is driven by the need for ice cream especially when the demand for it is given at 120 decibels in the middle of a crowded mall on a busy Saturday afternoon. But what the child really wants are the feelings of pleasure and satisfaction they will get from the ice cream. They don't really want the ice cream …all they want are the feelings that they associate with having it.

Now I am not discounting Personal Gain as a motivator, I have just discovered that it is not the only factor that will drive children to do things for you and for themselves.

1. Personal Gain – the "What's in it for Me" factor.

2. Prestige – the desire to do something that is valued or valuable.

3. Pleasure – everyone wants to enjoy what they are doing.

4. Security – for some people this is the strongest motivator.

5. Convenience – everyone likes to do things that are easy and simple.

6. Imitation – the desire to be like others.

7. Desire to avoid fear – no one likes to be afraid or uncomfortable.

8. New experiences – positive stimulation empowers people.

9. Love – everyone needs to be loved to grow and develop.