Northwest Health | SPRING 2009 By Rhonda Aronwald

How can we cultivate our children's motivation to learn — and promote lifelong success? Here are some tips from Speech, Language & Learning Services at Group Health medical centers.

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Nurture healthy, well-rested bodies. Studies show that children who eat healthy foods and get adequate sleep are typically more receptive to learning, says Carole Ann Leek-Bracco, speech pathologist.

Read aloud to your kids. "Reading to children builds their skills in vocabulary, pronunciation, listening, imagination, and creativity — and lengthens their attention span," says Leek-Bracco. Even before children understand spoken words, they can enjoy the rhythm and melody of language. Plus, reading aloud is a great way to bond with your children.

Fill your home with the written word. Novels, newspapers, posters, even placemats can help inspire curiosity and learning. Hang a map of the world on the wall so your kids can see where current events are taking place. Encourage your children to do online or library research on a favorite topic — such as seashells, horses, skateboarding, or trombones. Suggest they create their own Web site on the topic, or put together a scrapbook.

Expand their horizons. Expose your children to new experiences. Take them to museums, zoos, parks, libraries, concerts, the post office, the bank. Ask them to figure out how much change you should get back at the store, or how much you're going to pay for 10 gallons of gasoline.

Play games with your children. Besides being fun, many games help children improve their memory, concentration, reading, spelling, problem-solving, and social skills. Kids also learn to understand and follow rules.

Check in with school. Develop a relationship with your child's teacher and school staff. E-mail and the Web have made this easier for busy parents. Make contact regularly, not just at conference time.

Provide space to work. Children need a place where they can sit up straight, spread out their papers, and not be distracted. A desk in their room is ideal, but the kitchen table will work too. Keep paper, scissors, crayons, colored pens, and other favorite supplies nearby.

Encourage your children to try, try, try again. Teach them that making mistakes, and even "failing," are normal steps on the road to mastery, and that it often takes many little steps to achieve a goal. Share stories about mistakes you've made. Explain what you did to help fix the error, and what you learned from the experience. A child's ability to learn is weakened when they're afraid to try new things and take the risk of making mistakes.

Build confidence, independence, and self-esteem. Treat your children like intelligent individuals who are able to understand choices and reach conclusions. Ask for their opinions and encourage them to answer questions, find solutions, and make some decisions on their own. "When children feel good about themselves, and valued, they're more likely to take on challenges," says Leek-Bracco.