Most parents can agree that getting your child motivated is a full-time job. You are dealing with hormone changes that affect emotions and body growth; you also are dealing with the changes that are taking place within your child’s brain development. It seems as if you are both heading in different directions, and they are taking the hardest route to get to the same place you are.
With all this, finding common ground to communicate as well as motivate is challenging, but can be done.
One tool parents use often is incentive – “If you do the dishes I will let you stay up an extra hour watching TV,†or “You have to earn your allowance, and I have a list of chores you can do.†These seem like rational requests, a little give and take and no shouting. It seems rational, except when dealing with teens and pre-teens rational is not a normal word.
The educators at AlphaGrade may have come up with a solution that helps you communicate with your child, but allows them to show they are responsible and growing up. They provide a visual program that allows both the parents and child to work together and can avoid arguments because the rewards are based on merit, and put in writing. It’s an innovative program, and this web-based tool helps the child to develop responsibility, accountability and consequences. It is not only a motivational tool, but life lessons as well.
The child is involved in the planning, understands the job descriptions, and can track their own progress in order to see if they have earned their allowance. Parents are able to view and grade the progress, add input and include a self-assessment by the child. Best of all – there is no cost involved!
The AlphaGrade program includes a calculator, historical reports, charts, allowance statements and other tools that will effectively motivate a child to succeed and improve their grades as well as complete their responsibilities at home. It provides everyone with a benchmark to success, and visually allows you and your child to see the improvements, as well as where more work is needed.
How the AlphaGrade system works:
1.     Parents and child sit down together weekly to write out their goals for the week – i.e. improving their grades at school, studying for midterms, walking and feeding the dog. etc.
2.     The child performs his/her chores and charts his/her progress on AlphaGrade.
3.     Both parent and child review the progress through the charts and graphs available on the AlphaGrade system to see how much progress has been made, and what areas need work. By reviewing the charts the child will see how close they are to their goal, and where they stand as far as allowance.
4.     Time to pay up! At the end of the week the parent and child will review results for the week assessment of earnings from AlphaGrade. Parents will then give the allowance earned, based on the charts. At that time they will set new goals for the upcoming week.Â
Results have proven that children will establish better study skills, build confidence and trust between parent and child, and actually see a visual chart of progress of their achievement. The family will also see better communication and less friction within the family. The child will be learning independence and responsibility; learn how to set and achieve goals; and to take responsibility for their actions if they make the wrong choices.
With a program like AlphaGrade, expectations are set and everyone is on the same page. Allowances are earned and not just taken for granted, and earned rewards are spent wiser.
“I have been using the system with my child and I can see first-hand, the difference it has made in our relationship,” says Mahesh Hinduja, AlphaGrade.com’s founder. “I don’t have to tell him what is expected — it is as if we have a contract for school and home chores that is documented through the AlphaGrade web site. I have definitely seen an improvement in schoolwork as he is now more motivated and pushes to achieve his AlphaGrade goals. He recently achieved his first milestone with AlphaGrade and used his AlphaGrade earned allowance to buy ice skates.”
A “vault†can be established for the charts and reports so they can be shared with grandparents, family and friends. It could include video clips and photos in addition to the charts and reports. Children can also build a “wish list†and invite others to be sponsors as part of the child’s development and motivation.
For more information on the AlphaGrade program, visit http://www.AlphaGrade.com.
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About the author:
Ron White is a two-time USA Memory Champion , memory training expert, and memory keynote speaker. He speaks at seminars and to large groups all over the world on how to improve memory and memory techniques. In addition, his website BrainAthlete.com sells CDs and programs to improve memory skills and advise for success.
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Sources:
AlphaGrade.com