How do you help your child stay motivated at the end of the school year? By following this carefully cultivated list of strategies and techniques.

It is the beginning of May, and in Florida the end of the school year is only about a month away. And the end of the school year can bring mixed emotions to parents: dread because you have to figure out what to do with your child for two months; relief because homework battles and school projects will be placed on pause; pride because your child had a great year; or a weird combination of all these that swirl around simultaneously.

Whatever you are feeling, hopefully we can agree that you want your child to finish this school with motivation and zeal towards learning. How on Earth can you accomplish this, when your child may be halfway checked out and in the throes of spring fever? By following our carefully cultivated checklist!

High priority tasks

Maintain their self-care: This includes eating a proper diet, getting enough exercise – 60 minutes per day of moderate to vigorous exercise, according to the CDC, and getting adequate sleep – 9 to 11 hours, according to The National Sleep Foundation.

Stick to routines:  Psychology Today encourages parents to stick to consistent routines, which build self-confidence and self-control, both of which can waver this time of year. These routines ought to include homework times after school, chores and responsibilities, and consistent bedtimes.

Contact your child’s teacher(s) asking for academic areas to focus on this summer and for next school year. Summer is a great time to address any academic issues due to school being out; your child may be less stressed, not having to worry about classwork and or homework. 

Help your child prioritize end-of-year tasks. If your child has Executive Functions deficiencies, then they will struggle to determine what they need to do and when. Assist them with creating a study schedule for final exams or any long term projects. Breaking down these seemingly large assignments into smaller, more manageable steps will allow your child to complete them and not freeze or avoid the task altogether. One good suggestion is to use a physical calendar and to place test dates, project due dates, spring concerts, etc, on it so all responsibilities are in one place. Keep this in a high-visibility location, such as the kitchen. Refer to it and review it daily.

Use reminder tools such as phone apps, alarms, and/or checklists to remind children about what they should be working on. Understood has some great suggestions for students with ADHD.

Maintain a tidy homework space. As the year whips by, this area can become disorganized with old papers, siblings’ items, snack remnants, etc. Keep the space inviting, clean, and organized.

Refresh their supplies. Sometimes a new binder, a set of pens, and or a mechanical pencil can magically inject a new motivational force in your child. As the school year creeps to a close, school supplies can become ragged, so offer to update the different implements and you may see a new level of enthusiasm for learning from your child.

Set weekly attainable goals – Examples could be to turn in all homework on time for the week or to earn a 90 or higher on a spelling test.

Less obvious but still important tasks

Continue to ask your child questions about school and keep it a priority in your home. He may say there is nothing going on in class the last few weeks, but the teacher will disagree! Often times teachers are previewing next year’s benchmarks and or implementing projects, all certainly important for your child.

Create a reward system – In a perfect world your child would be internally motivated, which can be defined as engaging in an activity because of the inherent satisfaction and enjoyment of doing it. On the other hand, external motivation is defined when an external reward, such as money or praise, is linked to completing the activity. As the school year winds down, even the most motivated kids may need a nudge with an external motivator such as extra electronics time or cash for a grade on a project. You know your child best. Pick something they would be willing to work for.

Employ a study buddy. The saying misery loves company rings true in completing school work. Students who think and learn differently may like having someone to sit with them. This could be a parent, conveniently nearby to answer questions, or a sibling or peer who is completing similar work. 

Help your child make a list of all their successes from this school year. It could be academic- such as learning multiplication facts- or more social- such as making a new friend. This helps build metacognition, which gets them thinking about thinking.

Encourage your child to make their teacher a card with a short thank you message. This helps build gratitude, a shield for mental health.

Set up summer tutoring and/or other therapies. Good practitioners fill up quickly, so plan to connect and book early.

Arrange summer camps and extracurricular activities. Reminding your child that these fun activities are waiting for them can also motivate your child to finish the school year strongly.

Ease anxiety. If your child is anxious about the end of the year, or if next year is a big transition such as going from elementary to middle school or middle school to high school – talk with your child about their fears and concerns. Validate the feelings! Johns Hopkins Medicine recommends visiting the new school to help alleviate some of your child’s angst.

Prop up their strengths. Kids who think and learn differently often have experienced less success in the classroom compared to their neurotypical peers. Train a spotlight on your child’s strengths, whatever they are. If your child is an amazing guitarist, encourage and help them to find outlets for their passion. Do they want lessons? Can they get together with classmates who play an instrument and have a jam session? School and academics are still important, but continue to build up your child’s talents, too.

Final thoughts

Parenting school age kids is difficult and with summer in squinting view it is tempting to take your foot off the proverbial parental gas pedal. Don’t. Continue to implement all of these research-backed strategies, like sticking to routines, encouraging self-care, and maintaining an interest in their assignments and schoolwork.

If your child struggles with motivation and/or Executive Functions skills like planning, prioritizing, and time management, contact Jennifer Disch at Engage the Brain to discover how an Executive Functions coach could help your child develop a skillset to tackle these end-of-the-year challenges.