An unmotivated child can make you feel like a failure when it comes to parenting. A child who has no aspirations or goals in life and would rather stay home and sleep in than do well in school is likely frustrating and confusing at the same time, especially if you can't relate. Helping kids set attainable short- and long-term goals can help set them on the right path to having a successful social, professional and personal life.
Find Strong Points
Before setting goals, it's helpful if kids can understand their strengths and weakness, talents and things they would like to learn, says GoodCharacter.com. Have your child sit down and write a list of all of the things he is good at or likes to do. If he can't think of any, help him out by pointing out some of the talents that you see every day. Knowing his strengths can help him more easily identify attainable goals for him to work on.
Choose a Goal
Help your child choose a goal based on the strengths and weaknesses that she has. For instance, if she is good at sports but slipping in school, suggest a goal for better grades before becoming involved in sports. A child who doesn't eat healthily but enjoys cooking could make a goal to learn healthy recipes. Outline the goal together clearly so there are no questions as to what it is, says HealthPlan.com. Writing the goals on paper makes them more concrete.
Create a Plan
A plan should be created that outlines exactly how the goal is to be accomplished. Perhaps your child will need to take an extra class, join a club or check in with you regularly to monitor her progress. Break the plan into easily attainable baby steps. Instead of saying "eat healthier," break the plan into steps such as "Drink eight cups of water every day" or "Make one healthy lunch per week." Write the plan on a large piece of poster board so it can be hung in a prominent area and looked at often as a reminder of the goals and the plan.
Create a Timeline
A goal is all well and good, but without a proper timeline, the incentive and momentum of setting goals may slow. Help your child create a timeline that clearly lists out the different parts of the plan and dates by which they should be accomplished. Keep the timeline on a calendar where your child can see it clearly and check in with him to see how his goal plan components are coming. Check the days off as he completes the baby steps for his goal.
Celebrate Success
Celebrating even the smallest of victories can help your child become more inspired to make and attain goals, notes MomSteam.com. Set a small celebratory event for each accomplished baby step, such as lots of praise, a toy from the dollar store or a trip to the movies. These small incentives will make goal setting less of a chore and more of a way to adopt healthy habits that have positive connotations associated with them.
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