What’s love got to do with it?

By Michelle Welch, RD, LMNT LPS District Wellness

We tend to promote magical thinking in our world. Enjoyment of a learning subject for students isn’t always love at first sight or instantly easy. It’s okay not to be the first-round draft pick of math or English, but to still love it and have a passion for it.

Will kids find some subjects just come more naturally to them? Sure. We need to be careful not to let “natural” talents limit our students from trying something new. Kids can tend to disengage on a topic if they are less skilled at it the first few times they try something new. Don’t let them fall into that trap.

History is filled with stories of becoming the best at an area of expertise, only because someone worked relentlessly. Those experts didn’t wake up and were magically a pro. It’s because they loved what they were doing and had that curiosity for learning and getting better.

We have largely discovered the power of mindset and how it can help someone persevere through a tough situation, especially over these past few years.

How much better are you at doing an activity you love versus an activity you hate? Even if you identify as an athlete, artist, or musician, we are rarely at the level of pros, but we do our best.

Sometimes we are talented and receive praise for certain skills. Other times it may just fill a need we have to express ourselves, be included, learn more or continue to hone our skills.

Often, our kids mirror our feelings about activities. Here’s where I caution you. They are not you. So, they don’t have to hate or fear learning subjects for no reason. Instead, help them build a passion for those subjects. Encourage their passion for learning.

How exactly? It’s all about helping them create a positive mindset. Here are some tips:

• Train them to think about learning subjects as challenges to conquer. If you have a child who games, getting them into the gaming mindset about subjects can be very powerful. Having them approach learning, just as they learn problem-solving hacks for games. Competing against the test can be an excellent mindset.

• For more creative minds, help them think of learning from an innovative mind space. Much of learning is story-telling, including in math and science. If they are a big reader, they might find the stories of scientists discovering cures or inventors fascinating, growing their love of the topics.

• Keep sharing little ways you use what they are learning each day. There are many activities you can share especially with younger students. From how much you read or write, to how you use math to get the best deal or know that you are getting back the right change.

Helping our kids create and maintain a love of learning often comes from them reflecting how we approach life ourselves. Keep modeling curiosity by learning yourself.

What’s love got to do with learning? Everything.

Together we can build a brighter future for our students and our community.

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