We all have a little voice in our head that tells us to work towards a goal, and some of us have it more than others. As kids, we explore, listening to the most natural instincts we have to touch, taste, hear, and see. And as we grow older, this drive pushes us to reach goals like acing a test, graduating, or getting our first job.

Of all the age groups, children are usually the most self-motivated, and as you know, they want to work toward things they are passionate about. Self-motivated behavior, also known as drivenness, is when a child exhibits a strong desire to accomplish their dreams–whatever they may be. If your child has intrinsic motivation, they’re curious explorers, chasing their goals and expressing passion about their interests, hobbies, or academics.

You may find your driven child has some big goals in mind, and if you’re curious to learn how to support them on their journey to reaching those goals and thus, nurturing their drivenness, keep reading.

Ten Tips to Raising Driven Kids

Every parent wants to give their kids the tools to succeed and accomplish their dreams. To keep up with your kids goals and encourage their self-motivated behaviors, use the following ten tips!

Tip 1: Help them set milestones for their ultimate goal

Goals, whether academic or personal, will help your driven kid channel their energy in a positive way. Oftentimes, driven children have a big endgame in mind, but as a parent, you know there are a lot of steps to get there. For example, if your teen wants to attend an Ivy League school, you want to help them set up a roadmap to that goal. Collaborate with their counselor, begin early college planning, enroll them in ACT or SAT prep, and take them to some college campuses! This will help them know their goal is attainable as long as they take the proper steps.

Tip 2: Expect some trial and error

Nobody’s perfect. While every driven child wants to perform well or get it right the first time, mistakes can happen. Failure is a learning opportunity, and if you encourage your child to try again, they learn that challenges and setbacks are just bumps in the road. Driven children will learn to overcome and prosper, fostering a growth mindset.

Tip 3: Supervise, but don’t hover

For your driven child to succeed, they need space to grow. Driven children often have a natural ability to put in the hard work, but as a parent, you may be tempted to push them to work harder if they’re not getting it right away. Take a deep breath, and take a step back. If you butt in and take over, you’re likely to put pressure on your driven child. They know you only want the best for them, but parents, please give children their space–they learn to be independent when you do.

Tip 4: Give them opportunities to explore

If your kid is super ambitious but doesn’t quite know what they’re into yet, offer them opportunities to explore. You may want to look through a list of local community activities together, take them to the library, take them on a road trip, or even go through their school’s course catalog. They may find something that piques their interest. Driven kids often test the waters in different disciplines, so don’t knock it until you try it.

Tip 5: Teach responsibility

We often tell kids to be responsible, but we don’t tell them how. To encourage children to be responsible about their goals and other tasks, reward them for good behavior, progress, and grades. If your driven child is slacking off with chores, then it’s probably not their favorite activity. But, if you create an incentive for your child to do something they’re not so fond of, and teach them about the consequences (i.e. no allowance or reward), they’ll learn responsibility and self-discipline.

Tip 6: Nurture their interests

So, your kid knows what they like! To nurture their internal motivation, get them started in honing their craft. For instance, your kid may be a computer whiz, but they also are a pro at tennis. If your child wants to learn more about computers or tennis, help them discover clubs or extracurriculars in their school, enroll them in a computer science course, find a tennis training center, or research some materials, equipment, or books that will teach them more!

Tip 7: Encourage mental health breaks

As mentioned earlier, driven children are often hard workers. With intense drive and determination, they can easily feel overwhelmed and tired. To prevent burnout, find ways to give them a break. This may include a healthy amount of screen time with video games or movies, hanging out with friends, going on a trip, or just taking a walk in nature.

Tip 8: Celebrate their progress

It takes a lot of effort to make dreams come to fruition, but if anyone can do it, it’s your child. Celebrate your child’s successes and progress every once in a while to encourage them on their journey. It doesn’t have to be anything crazy, but if you acknowledge your child’s hard work and effort, they’re going to appreciate it.

Tip 9: Provide structure to thrive

No structure in your kid’s routine is a recipe for disaster. Instead, create a schedule and environment that works for your child’s needs. Your child probably has a busy schedule in addition to their school schedule. So, you want to give them as much structure as you can to focus. For example, a nice study or practice room is a great way to help your kid thrive.

Tip 10: Find their academic haven

If your kid requires flexibility or an academic curriculum to keep up with their ambition and drive, then you may need to explore education solutions outside of their current school. Academics and education are a big part of every child’s life, so it’s important that their school is meeting their needs.

The Academy at Laurel Springs School is a rigorous, online academic program for driven children in grades 6-12. Our self-paced, mastery-based approach to learning gives students the flexibility and tools to thrive at the highest level. The Academy is a complete college-prep program with college counseling, dual enrollment opportunities, a robust course catalog, and a lively social community of 30+ clubs and activities. To learn how to enroll your driven child, contact an admissions counselor today.

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