Have Your Children Set Goals?

An Easy Formula For Them to Follow!

Does your child have dreams and aspirations but does not know how to achieve them? Setting SMART Goals are crucial in their development as intelligent, functioning adults. We have been there, stuck at our desks contemplating what our next strategy in life would be, but the question that one must ask themselves is not, where but how. How am I going to achieve this goal? What are the steps in making my vision into my reality? SMART Goals that are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and TimeBound can help and are essential in further understanding the world around them and for a more meaningful life. Click HERE (https://skilled-composer-2459.ck.page/3c28cc580e) to obtain a tool that you can use that will benefit your child in his future endeavors.

Let’s use the task of completing an essay as an example for explaining the SMART Goal System.

The ‘S’ in the SMART Goals System stands for Specific, meaning the tasks should be to the point or relate to the primary goal at hand. For instance, when writing an essay, the task should not be a general statement, it should be “Do Research on Catherine the Great”, or “Complete Topic Sentences for each of the Body Paragraphs,” etc.

The ‘M’ in the SMART Goals System stands for Measurable. This is a deadline that one must meet so one can track the child’s success over time. For instance, when writing an essay, once the teacher gives out the deadline for the essay, the student should first write down the date in their planner. Second, count out how many days there is to complete the essay (give a few days to give a break). Finally, break up the tasks involved in writing the essay into the time the child might need to complete the task. An example of this would be break down the writing portion of the paragraphs. Also, this is important for parents because they can track their child’s progress throughout the assignment. If the child met the designated deadline, then he can receive a reward such as 30 minutes of game time. If the child does not finish the assignment, then it is the parent’s job to determine the consequence, such as no video games, etc.

The ‘A’ in the SMART Goals System stands for Attainable, meaning that the task should be simple enough for one to complete within a timely manner. If one makes the task too difficult, the child will lose interest and not want to finish the assignment. On the other hand, if the task is simple enough to achieve, then the child will feel as though he is one step closer to achieving his goals. Something to watch is when the child becomes stressed about a task; tell him that this is only a small piece of the big picture, meaning to take it step by step. When writing an essay, tell him today, we will write the outline, tomorrow the thesis statement, and so on.

The ‘R’ in the SMART Goals System stands for Relevant, and this is relative to each person. Relevant pertains to the task the child is currently working on and reviewing. Will this help him in his future endeavors or help reach the goals he has set? An example would be when writing an essay. The child can ask if this essay is going to help him receive an excellent grade in the class. If the answer is ‘yes’, then the path he is on is correct. The goals will be achieved and the assignment finished. If the answer is ‘no’, then more work needs to be completed. A strategy may need to be altered to reach the goals.

The final letter in the SMART Goals System is ‘T’ representing Time-bound. This is important because a time limit being set on a task can be beneficial for a child in terms of focusing. Let’s use the example of writing an essay again. If the assignment is due in seven days, then its best to set a goal to finish the piece earlier. A start and end date to should be recorded, so the child is aware of how much time he needs to complete the assignment. When assigning a time limit on a task, keep in mind the use of electronics such as phones, tablets, computers, etc can be a distraction to the child achieving their full potential.

The SMART Goals System can help your child in many ways. Mainly, it can help them achieve goals by making dreams a reality. Implementing just one tip from above can be a tremendous amount of help for your child.

Helen Panos is an accomplished educator/instructional specialist with over 25 years experience in a public school system. Helen began her K-12 nationwide tutoring business, Dynamis Learning Academy, 6 years ago to help children reach their potential.

Helen has acquired a BBA, Master’s in Education and an Educational Specialist in Administration & Supervision from various collegiate institutions. She also holds certifications in gifted education and has several years of experience with gifted testing, curriculum design, RTI/SST, and managing Section 504 plans in America.

She can be reached at: helen@dynamislearningacademy.com