This past week has been a relatively quiet one for me as both kids have been at camp and my husband has been at work. It has allowed me to focus on myself and my work for awhile, which always suffers a bit during the busy summer months. While I was catching up on things, I also sat down to plan what I wanted to accomplish this year.
Because I had done this earlier in the year, I got out what I had prepared so I could have a look at it. It’s funny how things change in such a short period of time. How things you didn’t have any idea were going to happen do happen and then all the best laid plans fall by the wayside. I was pleasantly surprised to see that I wasn’t doing too badly on my ideas about what I wanted to do this year, which gave me a bit of a boost for planning out the rest of the year. What I did realize is that I need to write out more concrete and measurable goals, not just amorphous ideas. If I was going to accomplish anything, I really needed to have something to aim for that had a yes I have done that or a no I haven’t answer at the end of the year.
While I was planning my own life, I realized that these are skills that are definitely beneficial for my kids. Of course they have things that they want and dream about … some are realistic, some not so much, and understanding that is the first step in making goals for yourself. Next week, neither of them have camp and we have a quiet week at home before they go off to stay with their cousins for a week or so. I don’t want them to waste this time, so I’ve prepared a little activity for them…
Basically, by next Friday, I want them to answer the following for me:
- Half of the year is now over. List 10 things you want to do before 2012.
I have some great resources for them to read about setting goals and thinking about things they want to do, including a goal setting ladder worksheet. It will definitely be interesting to see what they come up with!
Filed under: Family Life Tagged: | goal setting, goal setting for kids, goals
