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Teach Your Kids The importance of goal setting

Whether it’s going on a diet, quitting smoking, or … whatever, New Years is the time that adults resolve to better themselves. But what is a resolution? It’s really nothing more than establishing a goal.
Goal-setting is not something used exclusively by grown-ups, nor is it something you wait until adulthood to begin grooming. As a parent, it’s your job to give your child appropriate life skills to become a successful adult, and goal-setting is a key one.
It’s important from the outset that you, as a parent, understand that this is not an exercise to establish your goals for your children. Do that and your child could very well give up before they ever begin. This is a tool to help them establish their goals.

Age Matters.  Start by helping them establish short-term goals, especially if they are very young. Obviously, a five-year-old can’t establish realistic career goals, but they can learn the importance of completing simple ones – such as finishing their kindergarten homework – by attaching a reward to that success.

Keep It Real.  Make sure goals are appropriate and realistic. What little boy doesn’t want to pitch a no-hitter in the World Series? A more appropriate goal, however, might be to make his little league team.

Pathways.  Setting the goal is just the first step. Children also need to learn how to establish the steps that get them there. As kids get older, the goals will get bigger – maybe too big at first glance, and that can be overwhelming. Teach them to focus on one step at a time. That’s how a big goal becomes achievable.

Roadblocks.  Kids also tend to ignore obstacles they might encounter. As a parent, tactfully point out those potential roadblocks. By thinking about them early, children can learn to adapt and overcome them, not see their goal derailed.

Deadline.  Every goal deserves a deadline. While it doesn’t have to be set in concrete, establishing a deadline provides the motivation to help your children actually achieve their goals.

You can use goal-setting to teach kids how to manage personal finances, be better organized at home or at school, establish healthy lifestyles, earn better grades, motivate themselves and better manage resources. Most importantly, setting goals can help kids learn that they can control their own destiny.

Keith Mitchell is the Executive Director of Communications and Public Information for Lawton Public Schools.  He and his wife have three sons.