When our children go to school they are taught what other people believe they need to learn, using the current teaching methods in line with the national curriculum. As they move through primary education into secondary education they are still learning what others dictate they need to learn. Between the ages of 13-14 our children choose their GSCEs, and they may go on to take A-levels, NVQs, do an apprenticeship and possibly go on to University, but how do we support our children’s education and their choices?

“What do you want?”

I work with people of all ages and I am always asking “What do you want?” Most people will say “I don’t know”. Over time they may confess “I just want to be happy”, but isn’t it amazing that when asked this question most people pause? We are used to being told what to learn and when to learn it, but I have found as a teacher, coach and mentor that the most important question is still “What do you want?”

We want to support and motivate our children to achieve success in their education and life, but if they have no reason to learn something, you may find they become distracted and disillusioned with their education.

You can’t actually motivate someone to do something they aren’t interested in doing; what you have to do is inspire them. A clear vision of what they want to achieve for themselves can give them the enthusiasm, excitement, purpose and motivation they require to take the necessary steps, in line with what they wish to achieve.

If our children have an idea of who they are, what they enjoy, and how they would like to live their lives in the future, they may begin to see how important their education is, and that it is their responsibility if they wish to achieve their vision of the future.

How do we prepare our children to know what they want?

So how do we prepare our children to know what they want? I have two children, one who is now 21 and the other who is 19, and throughout their childhood I have asked them many times, “What do you want?” It is important to understand that when they are young, allowing them to choose “anything” is not the answer. It is important to give our children choices and allow them to answer that all important question. They need to learn who they are, what they enjoy, and be able to make choices.

When we are inspired and know what we want, we can pause and work out the route to get it. We can then ask ourselves the next questions: “Who do I need to be today to achieve what I want in the future?” “What do I need to learn and what do I need to do next to get it?” If our children know who they are and what they want, they will feel inspired and motivated to learn at school and beyond.