Mailboxes. Canyon Road, Santa Fe, NM (Photo credit: David Schroeder)
Nobody is born knowing how to set goals. It’s another on that long list of things that our children need to learn before they leave our care.
However, even parents who are accustomed to setting and achieving goals may not know how to teach that skill – especially to their children.
That’s where it pays to be S.M.A.R.T. The letters stand for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Timely. It’s a great way to
remember all of the steps to creating useful goals.
Specific: It would be nice if “I’ll do better” was enough to get the job done, but good goals need to be worded a bit differently. “I will make my bed without being reminded for five days in a row” or “Pull all weeds from the flower bed next to the mailbox” are clear and specific.
Measurable: You may want to substitute the term “observable”. “Get a better grade in English” is tougher to assess than “Get 100% on my next three spelling tests.” It’s certainly measurable and observable!
Achievable: Let’s go back to that pesky English grade. “Getting an ‘A’ in English” may not be possible simply because someone else actually gives the grades. However, an achievable goal in this area might be: “All of my English papers will be submitted on time, neatly typed, properly footnoted, free from spelling errors and meeting or exceeding requirements for length and content.” Attainment of THAT goal is certainly achievable (and may lead to that ‘A’ grade as well.)
Realistic: This is similar but has to do with choices and resources. Lots of people dream of a career in pro sports, but few of us have the required talent. This may be a time that you’ll have to get really creative but perhaps you can help a child formulate a goal that incorporates Tiger Wood’s generosity or Cal Ripkin’s work ethic.
Timely: A goal is a dream with a deadline. Help it along by adding an appropriate time frame. Whether it’s a deadline (“by October 1st…”)
or a time period (“every day for a week”) it is a factor that helps move from planning to action.
Social science research tells us that there is a correlation between goal attainment & personal fulfillment. Imagine… having the skills to
choose what we want and ability to get that job done helps us feel good. What a great gift to give someone you love.
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One Response to “Help Your Kids Get S.M.A.R.T. About Goals”
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Modeling or thinking aloud as parents is a great way to show children that setting goals is helpful in day to day life. If you don’t understand HOW to do it or WHY, then it will remain useless trivia.