A Suggestion for Parents with Children Who Lacks Self-Motivation
No child truly lacks self-motivation. Instead, they just lack the self-motivation to do things that their parents, teachers, or coaches think are beneficial. When a child does something he or she enjoys (i.e., play video games), they have all the self-motivation in the world.
So, I have a simple suggestion for parents who are in this situation. Expose your child to new activities that you have never tried or that you may not like. Because of the tendency to only expose your children to the things you enjoy, your kids may be missing out. Particularly if your child doesn’t enjoy the same activities you or their siblings enjoy.
For example, you may not like the outdoors. Therefore, you never take your children fishing, camping, hiking, or biking. Unfortunately, your child may not find their self-motivation until later in life because of this lack of exposure. Moreover, not having this exposure may also debilitate their self-motivation to perform their best in school, sports, etc.
In short, a child can only find self-motivation in activities they are aware exists as an opportunity. A child who only finds their self-motivation when playing video games, watching movies, texting with friends, or using social media likely only needs more exposure to break these habits. It’s up to you to move out of your personal comfort zone to expose your child to more activities and help them find interest that will benefit them in the long run.