How to Teach Goal Setting to Young Teens

Goal setting is an excellent tool you can introduce to kids once they hit their teens. It teaches them to find a focus, and develop a plan of action and discipline to achieve the goal. The goals can be simple – in fact, the simpler the better as each small success will give kids the confidence to go for a bigger one. As parents, we must teach kids how to set goals and also, put it into practice through a series of activities. Did you know online games are good at teaching kids to set goals? You can actually use pet games online as this makes learning more fun!

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But first, how does one set goals? Ask your teen to identify something they want to accomplish. Naturally, this can’t be something on the lines of ‘I want to fly to the moon’ for obvious reasons. It could be ‘I want to score a better grade in my English test’ or ‘I would like to be more physically fit.’ Now using the SMART goal-setting method, you can help your child to set up a step-by-step plan to achieve the goal. The SMART method – Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time-Bound – gives a tight framework within which kids can work out a course of action. 

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Games are also a great way to educate children on how to reach goals because they are built that way. There are different levels of progress, and each level has a goal that the player must achieve before moving on to the next level. Children can also practice setting goals on virtual pet sites. For instance, they can perform certain actions that will help them increase their points or the levels of their pets. There are also rewards attached to this. The points earned can be used to buy food and other items for pets. Increasing pet levels can give kids access to play certain games. This motivates them to practice goal setting in a fun, stress-free environment.

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There are also many worksheets and activity sheets that children can use to practice goal setting. But any such activity must have a follow-up session to see if the steps outlined have been translated into action and if yes, the results. If, for any reason, your child hasn’t achieved it, you must discuss the obstacles that came in the way and brainstorm on solutions to find ways around these roadblocks.

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By slowly integrating goal-setting into their lives, young teens will be able to manage their days far more productively. Achieving their dreams, big or small, will build their confidence and self-awareness. It will also help them to understand their strengths and weaknesses, and develop a proactive approach to life. This is also a very crucial skill that will help children not only in their academics and extracurricular activities but also at their workplace in the future.