Dear Parents,
This month your child will be studying the character lesson: GOAL SETTING. Learning how to set reasonable and attainable goals in a valuable lessons for children of all ages. All children should set goals periodically so they build the habits necessary to achieve important goals as adults. In this month’s lesson plan, we will teach your children valuable goal setting tips, and help them accomplish goals in the process.
Here are some tips regarding children and goal setting based on age:
- With children ages 3 to 5: for the first time they are learning how to follow through on statements they make, particularly with play. For example: they may say “I am going to make a house with these blocks,” and then they do so in a short period of time. This is their very first experience with goal setting. Teach them how to recognize accomplishments like this as their very first lessons in goal setting.
- With children ages 5 to 7: They understand saying things can usually lead to accomplishments, but they are still at an age where they enjoy “fantasy” and therefore may interpret a wish as a goal. For example: they may say something like “I want to jump over the moon,” which is more of a wish than a goal. Instead, teach them how to set reasonable and attainable goals, such as: “My goal is to jump over this pile of pads 10 times so I can build muscles to jump even higher.”
- With children ages 8-12: They understand real goals vs. wishes, so now is the time to teach them how to map out plans to accomplish their goals. For example :I want to learn my kata in two weeks so I will ask for help and I will practice my kata 10 times each day with great focus and effort for the next two weeks.”
- With children ages 13 and up: Their goals are going to be much bigger and grander as they get older. The problem is some will give up after they stumble. Teach them how to consider roadblocks and ways of dealing with them. For example: if they don’t make the basketball team this year, they can practice over the summer every day for at least an how to prepare early for next years tryouts.
To succeed in life, we must know exactly what it is we’re trying to do. This is the first and foremost secret of successful people – a secret we can give as a gift to your children as you teach them how to set goals. YOUR goal should be to give your children a habit of setting goals – habits which will carry over as adults.
Thank you for your support and we look forward to watching our youthful students build the skill of being trustworthy.
Sincerely,
Senpai Traina