What is the benefit of the ability to set and achieve goals and how to implement it in the family?

It has become common that the new year is associated with new goals. We probably wouldn’t find a single successful business that doesn’t plan for the future.

In a business that works efficiently, it is important to foresee visions and plans not only for the year, but also for five years and ten years. Otherwise, the successful and long-term existence of the company is hard to imagine.

Many of us are no exception – with the new year we often set new personal goals. Some do it carelessly, leading the “herd” feeling, others responsibly and meticulously plan almost every area of ​​life. However, one thing is clear – to set goals and consistently achieve them, discipline and responsibility are an integral part of success.

Goals and Children

Many would probably agree that there is great power in goals, so why not start developing this wonderful quality as early as possible?

Most of the time, the child’s first acquaintance with goals occurs during the saving process, and later parents want to order a card for the child.

A rare child saves just for the sake of saving. Usually it is saved for some purpose – a toy, a computer, a phone. When a child reaches a set goal, we see how much joy it brings. And the responsibility for your purchase is much greater, too. The child feels that he is the real owner of the object because he reached the goal himself, which is very important. However, goals are not only financial, so I recommend discussing this with your children as early as possible.

When it comes to goals and children, one thing is clear – children usually do not think about the future and the consequences of their current actions. Few would think of setting goals and achieving them on their own, so our help at the initial stage is very necessary. However, there is one problem – how not to impose your influence and encourage the child not only to set goals HIMSELF, but also to feel like their master.

Otherwise, it is very likely that the efforts will be fruitless – after all, it is much more fun to achieve your own goals. And our intervention in the eyes of the child can turn us into demanding people who give orders and impose their opinion. In this case, pursuing the goals that parents come up with for their children can be simply uninteresting and pointless.

What is the benefit of the ability to set and achieve goals and how to implement it in the family?

The child feels that he is the real owner of the object, because he reached the goal himself, which is very important

So, how to act in practice so that the goals have a positive effect on the development of children? How do you go from being a critic and a moralist to a helper? Helper who walks by and gently guides children in a positive direction?

Your Own Example

As in many other areas, your own example will help. Share with your child what goals you set yourself and how you achieve them. If you don’t, you might find positive examples from your own work. You can also look for inspiring stories in the biographies of famous people, especially in the field of sports. Discover the personalities your child admires and show them how they got to where they are today through ambitious goals and discipline.

Visualizing

Another way to help develop this useful feature is visually. Both the youngest and older children will be helped in this process by a visual plan. Hang the plan in a prominent place in the child’s room, thus reminding them of the set goals. They can be written down as well as drawn. Drawing is especially suitable for little ones who can’t write yet.

It is very useful if we mark the intermediate steps for each goal, which the child marks, colors or sticks on stickers after completing. Thus, the kid sees the approach towards fulfillment, which is even more motivating. For example, a child sets a goal to learn to play a certain piece.

He decides to set aside 30 minutes every evening to achieve his goal. For rehearsals, so you can mark on the plan the days of the week that the child colors or marks when performing the action. There is a lot of room for creativity here. Of course, in the beginning, your help will be needed “to get on the road”, but later, once the child has understood the essence, he will figure it out on his own.

For simplicity, goals can be broken down into categories. For example, you can set goals related to achievements in science, sports, character, everyday life. Just don’t set too many goals, especially at the initial stage, otherwise there will be no motivation. As I mentioned, it is very important that the goals are invented by the child himself, so the categories should help to understand the direction, and then let the child’s creativity be expressed.

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Just don’t set too many goals, especially at the initial stage, otherwise there will be no motivation

At first glance, learning to set goals and achieve them in a disciplined manner may seem like a difficult and tiring process. However, the long-term benefits will be enormous. This can be a great way to develop responsibility for yourself, your body, achievements, education. Also thinking about the future, which is not characteristic of children. In the beginning, you will need more effort, but later, let the children take the initiative. I have no doubt that by setting goals, you will find a lot of space for discussion. You will see what is circulating in the child’s mind and heart. This way, you will not only strengthen the mutual relationship, but also lay a solid foundation for the formation of the child’s personality.

This article was prepared in conjunction with myTU blog’s leading Children’s Financial Literacy Educator Eglė Laurišonienė.

myTU is a partner of “Traveling with children ®”.

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