We discussed little goals and how she can overcome this obstacle (with a broken, but healing finger) and I can tell the little wheels in her brain are turning. I also compared the situation to grades, and it helped her realize that she’s done something similar already. Instead of focusing on report cards that are issued every 12 weeks, she puts in daily effort and I reward weekly progress – especially for difficult classes. This may seem a bit much for a teenager who should be self motivated, but it works for us. Like you said, it’s the little effort that lead to big results.

Thanks for sharing your memories!