 Parentown Kidshape
Goal Setting for the New Year
New Year's Day has come and gone. You may have decided on some New Year's resolutions of your own, but is it important for your children to set goals for the new year as well? According to Gary Blair, president of The Goals Guy, the answer is a resounding yes.
"Teaching our students how they can create their futures is a powerful and critical personal leadership skill. Goals education gives them the tools needed for designing a productive life, of benefit to themselves, our country and for future generations!" said Blair.
Dr. Paul Donahue, top child psychologist, lecturer and author, agrees. "In terms of goal setting, the main thing to impress upon children is that each person in the family has 'things to work on' every year. For one child, that might be focusing more on being more independent with homework and chores; for another it may mean being more respectful to adults and well mannered, and a third might be working on ways to help out friends and other people."
So what is the best way to help your children come up with resolutions? "Usually kids need help in coming up with these resolutions, and sometimes it's helpful to adopt them as a family as in 'We are all going to try to pitch in more at dinner time and not argue so much' or 'Let's make a point of doing something for others this year, like delivering Meals on Wheels.' In that way, no one feels singled out and it becomes a group effort," says Dr. Donahue, founder and director of Child Development Associates.
"It is best to try and have real ways of charting how everyone is doing at different points in the year. If we write them down and refer back to these resolutions with some regularity, we'll be more likely to see that our kids approach their goals," Dr. Donahue adds.
Gary Blair, also known as The Goals Guy, helps teachers, parents and coaches set priorities and stay focused to achieve their goals. He offers the following goal-setting strategy:
Ask the Six Important Goal-setting Questions
Consider the goal-setting process as an interview. When setting a goal and planning for its accomplishment, always ask the following six questions:
Who: Who will be involved in helping you achieve this goal?
What: What is the goal? What specifically do you want to accomplish?
Where: Where are you now in relation to this goal?
When: On what date do you expect to achieve this goal?
How: How will you accomplish this goal?
Why: Why do you want to achieve this goal?
"Success in any endeavor does not happen by accident. It is the result of deliberate decisions, conscious efforts and immense persistence. Success requires goals," says Blair.
Joy Kirkpatrick is the vice president and national editor of Kidsville News! and mother to a seven-year-old son.
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