Goal setting for children is important because they can improve their confidence and build their self-esteem from this skill. It also helps them to focus and make better decisions.
Parents usually feel frustrated when their children don’t try hard enough to accomplish something that they are perfectly capable of. What can you do? One way to foster a can-do attitude is to help your children learn how to set goals properly.
Parents probably won’t be able to get your children to start aiming for straight A’s right away. That kind of goal would be a major challenge for most preteens. But this is an ideal time to introduce your children to the concept of establishing targets. Try these strategies to teach your children the important of goal setting so they’ll eventually learn how to practice goal setting to achieve their best.
1. Follow SMART goal
Goal setting may be something new to kids, but just like brushing their teeth or studying every day, goal setting should become a habit for them. It’s important to keep in mind that the emphasis should be on the process itself, not just on the end result, which is the achievement of goals.
Let’s follow Tony’s story about his son when applying to the most competitive high school Harvard Westlake and learn more tips to set goal properly.
A SMART goal is a popular tool that is used to help people with their goal setting. SMART is an acronym that stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely. SMART goals are a great way to help both students and professionals set and achieve goals because it prompts the goal setter to think clearly about what they goal is and how they are going to achieve it. Having specific goals that are time bound with a clear plan of action is the best way to actually achieve it.
Children are naturally great goal-setters. They all know what they want to be “when they grow up” and this makes for the beginnings of goal setting.
Identify a goal. Discuss with your kids their dreams and aspirations and write them down. Reread the list and help each child select one or two wishes. The goal must be within your child’s ability and be realistic. If it’s not, you might want to help your child choose another goal. Then help him frame it using the goal formula, stating what he will do and by when – say, “I will get at least 9 out of 10 spelling words right on my spelling test this week.”
Establish a time frame that is realistic for your child. For young children, goals should be kept simple and easy to achieve. Once they have experienced the positive results of reaching their goals, they will be eager to set more difficult goals. Some children need to set even shorter-term goals to the end of the hour or a day, such as finishing a simple school project, reading a page a night, cleaning a closet, picking up toys or making a bed without reminders.
Think through the steps to success. The next step is to help your children think through how they will succeed. It helps if kids write down or draw their course of action. Help your children write or draw on sticky notes the tasks they must do to achieve his goal. After they’ve finished, help them put those tasks in the order of when they will do. Staple the notes together, then have them tear off a note as each task is completed until none remain. Then have your children identify all the people or things required for goal attainment.
Track goal progress and celebrate success. Hang your children’s goals on a wall to remind them of their intentions. Pointing out their efforts will motivate them to keep trying: “Look how much closer you’re getting to your goal!” And if the goal is too hard, too easy or a step or resource was overlooked, just revise the plan so attainment is possible.
Talk about your goals. Tell them about goals you had when you were younger and about your goals now. Describe how you overcame obstacles, how you felt as you achieved goals and how your goals changed. Also talk with your children about the time when you did not reach certain goals. Your children may not always achieve his goals. However, they will have learned a few valuable lessons about goal setting and should have noticed measurable improvements along the way.
At Everest Education, we provide a specific pathway for each student to walk you through the study process and result that they have set. Besides, E2 will help kids quickly touch his goal of this term by qualified teachers and international teaching program.
