Teaching goal-setting to kids is important to me because when I first moved to Canada, I struggled with low self-esteem. I felt like I couldn’t do anything. My teachers didn’t understand me and my home life was rough.
Achieving wasn’t on my radar. Surviving was.
It wasn’t until well after I graduated and I focused on trying to get into university did I learn how to really achieve my goals.
Overtime, I worked on breaking it down for my students so that they don’t go through what I did in regards to having feelings of worthlessness.
Pair the following resource with the actionable steps below. Choose the resource that best meets the needs of your child or you students. Teach them by working alongside them with the adult version.
You can scaffold your students with the following resource. It was created with you in mind.
If you’re a mom, you can use the following planner. You can get yours at my teacher store or from Etsy.
Actionable Steps:
#1. Start With the Fun
Instead of creating realistic goals, get your kids to create fun goals.
What does this mean?
Goals that they want to achieve. Perhaps it’s getting better at basketball or ballet. Maybe they want to save money to buy a Pokémon game or travel to Hawaii. Whatever it is, let them start with a fun goal so that they have something to look forward to. After some time, they can create more realistic goals.
#2. Make It Actionable
Have your kids take their big goals and break them down into smaller actionable steps. Your kids can see these as mini goals. They’ll need to work toward those small goals first so that they can eventually achieve their big goals.
This breakdown will help them not feel overwhelmed and want to give up quickly. It will give them perspective and something to work toward.
#3. Celebrate the Wins
Celebrate the wins from your actionable goals. Even the smallest wins or milestones are worthy of a celebration.
Have your child create incentives for specific milestones. Your child can enjoy a candy bar or a play break.
When they get to this stage, praise them so that they know that you noticed them.
#4. Discuss Obstacles
Struggles will arise and your kids with have a difficult time. They may want to give up or may get angry. It’s important to discuss different ways to manage these emotions. Teach them to put this energy into focusing on trying to achieve the next small milestone. Teach your kids that it’s okay to fall down but it’s just as important to get up and to keep on moving. Do some visualizations with them and ask them to imagine how they’ll feel when they achieve their goals. Remind them that they are capable and that you’re in their corner.
Recap:
Let’s recap really quickly. Today, we looked at the following:
- The importance of teaching children how to set effective goals.
- Four steps to teach goal-setting to kids: start with the fun, make it actionable, celebrate the wins, and discuss obstacles.
Free Resources:
If you’d like to get started on your goal-setting journey, check out the FREE High Achiever’s Goal Setting Journal by CLICKING HERE or on the image below.
Next Steps:
If you found this video beneficial, would you do me a favor? Share this with your family, your friends, your loved ones, your co-workers or someone who you think could benefit from this. Thank you!
I’ll see you next Friday at 5:30pm PST.
Until I see you next time, remember to create, experience & teach from the heart.
Take care,
Charlotte
Disclaimer: I’m a teacher and a parent. I’m not a medical professional, so please don’t take this as medical advice. The advice that I provide in my videos and online are strategies that I have used in my own class or at home that have worked beautifully.
