We’ve all done it. And some have been significantly more successful than others, whether it’s eat better, exercise more or get a new job – we’ve all set a new year’s resolution at some point or other.  So how important is it to teach your children to set goals?

Why goal setting is important

It’s not just about creating better habits, and giving up the bad ones. Goal setting can provide your child with confidence, self-control and a greater sense of self that will last a lifetime. These are the key skills that will help your child to develop and live a happy and more fulfilling life, so what do you need to know?

Make goals age appropriate

Before you can begin setting goals, it’s first important to ensure that your child understands exactly what goals are, their purpose and how they can benefit from them. Use examples to demonstrate this and show them how goals can be useful.

Then, when it comes to setting the goals, allow your child to choose their own goals. Ensure they are age appropriate and achievable – this is important. Unachievable goals are going to lead to a feeling of inadequacy which is counterproductive.

Stick to just two or three goals to begin with and create a plan on how these goals are going to be achieved. This will foster a culture of goal setting and will enable your child to understand exactly what they need to do and how they can achieve their goals.

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Read More:
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Be a good role model

It’s not enough to just set your child some goals and be done with, you need to actively engage in this and take part as well. Showing your child your own goals and how you’re going to achieve them will help to encourage them and let them feel supported. It’s then also important you show them how you’re achieving your goals and the steps you’ve taken.

Keep it simple

It’s no good setting an overly complicated goal, as your child won’t understand how to achieve it and this will actually cause confusion. Keep the goals simple and attainable. Don’t over simplify them, but if you have a goal that is particularly complicated, then maybe break it down into a few smaller goals.

Reward achievements

It’s important to ensure that goals are seen as a cooperative, team-building activity rather than a competition. And no-one is less of an achiever than anyone else. If children are made to feel as part of a group whilst still maintaining individuality, you’re more likely to set them up for success.

Maintain motivation

Keeping your child engaged with their goals is perhaps one of the trickiest elements of instilling a good goal setting mentality. Be sure to consistently include goal setting in conversation. Check up on how they’re doing and show an interest in their personal challenges. If things don’t go to plan then show your child how they can get back on track, what they can learn from this and how to tackle it in future.

Resources:
https://www.care.com/c/stories/5229/how-to-teach-kids-about-setting-goals/
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-gail-gross/teaching-children-confide_b_4565356.html
https://www.cmasas.org/5-tips-teaching-children-value-goal-setting-and-new-years-resolutions

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