Goals are a proven tool for success and can improve any area of life. The process of setting goals allows children to choose where they want to go and what they want to achieve. Knowing what they want to achieve helps them know where to concentrate efforts and improve. Goal setting gives children long-term vision and short-term motivation. Follow these tips to help your child make his/her dreams come true.
- Help your child set a goal: it can be for anything your child wants to do better, have, or be.
- A short-term goal example is raising a class grade or improving a skill. A good long-term goal is earning a college scholarship.
- Tell your child goals should be realistic, specific (detailed), and challenging.
- Have your child write down the goal and why he/she wants to reach it.
- Ask your child to think about what it will take to achieve the goal.
- Create a goal timeline together. Include the date he/she wants to reach the goal, steps to take, and how long each step will take.
- Remind your child to check the goal timeline often to stay on track.
- If your child misses a goal deadline, tell him/her to redo the timeline but don’t give up.
- Celebrate when your child reaches the goal…then set another!
