09/12/2020
TEACH THEM HOW TO SET GOALS
All parents share that sense of frustration when their child doesn't try hard enough to accomplish something they know he's perfectly capable of. What can you do? One way to foster a can-do attitude is to help your child learn to set goals and meet them, one small step at a time.
Don't get too excited: You probably won't be able to get your child to start aiming for straight A's right away. That kind of goal would be a major challenge for most preteens. But experts say this is an ideal time to introduce your child to the concept of establishing targets and working toward them. Try these strategies to teach your child the power of goal-setting so he'll eventually learn how to work to achieve his best.
Get the idea across
Start small
Let them choose
Be alert to possibilities
Show them how
Provide a reality check
Applaud effort
Get the Idea Across
Start the process by looking for ways that your child already uses goal-setting techniques. If you notice that your son has managed to save up his money to buy a video game, for example, discuss the steps he needed to take to get what he wanted. Talk to him about how good it feels to accomplish something that you've worked toward. Then, discuss how these same techniques can be used to meet other challenges.
We'll continue from here next week.