Motivation and Encouragement

Goal setting with motivation and encouragement is the basis for giving your kids keys to the future. Do your children create New Year’s resolutions as you do as an adult? Teaching your children to set goals is an excellent practice for them to develop.  

From birth, our kids have goals. Infant stage goals are usually developmental type goals. Toddler stage goals are subject to cognitive and physical development. Have you taught your pre-teen, teenagers, and college students the value of goal setting?

Some simple goals to establish:

• Reading a book, a month
• Creating a weekly menu plan and grocery list
• Learn a new activity
• Volunteer 3 hours a week
• Earn money or raise money for charity

Setting goals has to be habitual. 

Reaching goals is gratifying for anyone but especially for your kids. Finding their purpose and drive will help them through their formidable years. Your kids learn it is possible to set a goal, have fun achieving the goal, and be proud of their success. 

5 Tips for Goal Setting

1. Make the goal loud and visible – Let your child create her purpose or goals. Setting goals is part of the process that enables them to think of their future and their desires. You can make suggestions but let them ultimately decide for themselves. 
2. Allow the child’s goal and their friend (or yours) to match – Sometimes when there is a group working on the same goal – it’s more fun. This process also allows kids to develop team and leadership skills. 
3. Timeline – Every good goal should have a built-in time structure. With younger children, you can select dates such as birthday, Summer, or the start of school. With older kids, 3-month, 6-month, and 1-year goals are better.
4. Visualize success – Make sure the child can visualize what success looks like with accomplished goals. Create a visionary board or written statements and post them in a conspicuous place.
5. Conclude the goal – When the goal has been attained, discuss the journey with your child. This attention instills pride and raises their awareness of what they accomplished.

Goal setting for young children.

Even young children can set a goal for themselves. Their intentions may be easier to achieve, in our eyes, but to them, they’re climbing Mt. Everest. You will have to help them, but allow them to figure out how to reach their own goals.

You can encourage your child to set a goal that is achievable in a reasonably short time frame. Learning how to tie their shoes by Summer would be a good example. Establish timing to reach goal dates based around the changing of the seasons, their birthday, or the start of your annual family vacation.  

We know young children have a much shorter attention span. That’s why it is vital to give them encouragement and support as needed. Working on their goals don’t have to be a daily chore. It should be fun and not monotonous. Maybe putting a few hours aside weekly to work on the target is sufficient. 

Goal setting for Teens

Older children can and should have more substantial goals.  Pre-teens and teenagers can create goals that could (and should) cause them to strive a little harder, reach a bit further, and expect a little more.

It’s never too early to teach our teens that they have to work to receive indulgences, recognition, or select items. Are they ready to own a car? Do they want to have their fashion statement? 

Teaching older kids that they have to work to get things in life will put a value on their prizes. They will appreciate their new item more if they had to spend some time, money, or sweat to have it.  

Goal setting for college students

Although the fundamental premise for setting goals doesn’t change with age, the types of goals do change. Keeping the S.M.A.R.T. method in mind will help even college students attain their goals.

It’s a fact that college students’ have the most challenging few years ahead of them. Their main goal is to graduate. The motivation level of setting goals and sticking to them is lacking. 

As the parent, you want your child to succeed in college as much as you wanted them to write their name when they were younger. One way to help college students succeed is with study goals. 

If only I had this idea when I went to college. 😉

• Short term goal: 
  • Projects that need to be completed in weeks
  • Do homework consistently and timely 
  • Eat, sleep and attend class
  • Time management
• Mid-term goal:
  • Projects that need to be completed by midterm 
  • Review grade point average
  • Visit with professors
  • Read other books
  • Have a dedicated study spot
• Long-term goal: 
  • Projects that need to be completed by the end of the school year
  • Do an internship
  • Mentor a peer with their studies
  • Learn a new language or travel abroad

The drive and focus become the student’s responsibility. With an accountability factor in place, the student can see the bigger picture.

The mentality behind this idea is that college life is full of stress. The child has moved into a dorm where there is not a lot of liability, and failure is possible. But with goals in place and a clear vision, every college student could and should pass with flying colors. 

Successful Completion 

Do you remember when you accomplished your goal and how proud you were? The same thing goes for your child at any age. Celebrate achievements. When he reaches his goal, give him accolades and tell him that you are proud of him. 

Proclaim of your young adult’s success with other family members too. Then encourage them to set a new goal. Setting goals around personal achievements, their desires, or wants emboldens them to new heights and new aspirations that give them a solid foundation for their future. 

Urge your son or daughter to make the next goal a little harder. Teach them to breakdown the big goal into smaller, more manageable steps. Using the S.M.A.R.T. method, each time will help them stay focused. 

Recommended Reading on the Topic

To learn more about goal setting for children and students, you can read more at Positive Psychology.

Another element that makes goal planning fun is using a journal or planner. Writing down the goals, the steps to achieve it, and the satisfying rewards in a planner will be an unforgettable album they can reminisce on later. Remember to help them learn to enjoy their journey by making it fun.