New Year is almost here! A perfect time to set SMART goals with your children.

Take a minute and let’s reflect on what SMART means.

SPECIFIC

What is your goal? What needs to be done to be achieved? Why do you want to achieve it?

MEASURABLE

Can you measure the progress towards the goal?

ATTAINABLE

Can the goal be achieved? Is it realistic?

RELEVANT

Is the goal worth pursuing?

TIMELY

What is the time frame to achieve this goal?

People who are really successful, know where they want to be and they have a plan to get there. Shouldn’t it be wonderful if we can start the year 2017 teaching our kids a skill as important as that?

Kids need to learn how to set goals at an early age and must also know how to set a plan to guide them in the right direction. Most parents have goals for kids and that is fine, but it’s also important for kids to set their own goals.  By setting their own goals, kids start learning skills that will help them succeed in the future.

To explain the concept, if you have young kids, share some basic goals with them first. Like for example, “I want to exercise four times a week” or “I want to save $100 a week so I have $1,200 by December 2017”.

Once they are clear on what they will be doing, have everybody in the family write down their goals for 2017. Seeing them on paper makes them feel more “real.” So once everybody is done, you can write the goals on the computer and make a nice banner for each them. Hang the banner in a visible area so they can see it and read it daily, if possible.

For young kids, you can try focusing on one goal at a time until they have made it a habit.

Goals are hard to follow without support, so working together as a family is important. Have your child write down their goals.

If your kid struggles and wants to give up on the goal, remind them that it is important for the entire family. Encourage them to continue and remind them that they can make it happen if they work towards it. They can fail only if they stop trying.

Goal setting is a tool that has proven to work for many successful people. By teaching your kids young, you create a habit that will help them throughout their life.

Keep in mind, this process should be fun and if possible plan a celebration once a goal is achieved.

Try this fun and FREE printables to get you started with your GOALS in 2017!

To download, right click the image and save in your computer. Once it download, you can print.