Originally Posted by indigo
The distinction is generally between activities which the child finds intrinsically rewarding, determined by child's depth of interest, natural curiosity, and the child's own sense of work well done (curiosity satisfied) -vs- activities which are parent-prodded and possibly evaluated as work well done by an adult who determines whether the child has achieved the adult's desired outcome for the child's achievement or performance.

The problem here is that you're painting with a brush that is much too broad. In many contexts, the process of a parent prodding or otherwise motivating a child through activities the child does not find intrinsically rewarding is called parenting. They don't always like sitting on the potty chair, picking up their toys, rinsing their dishes, or doing their homework. If parents don't prod in these circumstances, they're not doing their children any favors.