As moms, one of our biggest jobs is figuring out the best ways to support our children in all areas of their lives. We all want to help our children reach their goals, but for so many reasons, it's not always clear how we can successfully do that.

Our oldest, Wesley, is 7, and when he grows up he wants to be a "mover" like dad. Seems like an achievable goal, plus it's super cute that he wants to be like dad. My husband already has the business and reputation set in place for him, but it all comes with it's own struggles.

He's 7... he has plenty of time to decide.

Helping our children reach their goals benefits them in more ways than the obvious. It can help your children create healthy habits, strengthen your relationship, and add bonding time.

So how do we go about supporting our children in this way?

How We Can Help Our Children Reach Their Goals

Define Short-Term and Long-Term Goals

If you have younger kids, most goals will probably be short-term, and that's okay. But, it's definitely possible for them to have long-term goals. Maybe they want to improve their batting average for the season (short-term), or maybe they are dead set on being a baseball player when they grow up (long-term).

Talk to them about the difference between short-term and long-term goals and what to expect when working towards each. If you want, have them write down a list of all of their goals. At the very least, help them define their goals, so you both know what they are working towards.

Make Plans

Now that the goals are defined, decide how they are going to make their goals happen. Come up with a plan.

Maybe their goal is to improve their Spelling grade from a C to a B. Making a plan to study their weekly spelling words for 10 minutes a day on weekdays would be a good start. I like to squeeze in study time for spelling tests when we are in the car!

Make sure the plan is clear, so they know exactly what path they are following and what it will look like along the way.

Set Them Up For Success

Now that you have a plan, do what you can to set them up for success.

Whether it's giving them some of your time to help them work towards these goals, paying for lessons of some sort introducing them to someone more knowledgeable on the subject, etc., anything you can do to set them up for success is positive.

Going with an earlier example, if they are wanting to improve their baseball skills, make some extra time in your schedule to practice with them (or enlist a family member or family friend). If it's an option, schedule lessons from a local professional.

My children decided a few months ago they wanted to start a YouTube channel. They begged for weeks. This mama knows nothing about YouTube. I didn't even have a YouTube account, ha! But, I wanted to support them, so I now record and upload all of their videos. Do I do an excellent job? Nope, but I do my best. We have a lot of fun spending this time together, and we are working towards one of their goals... so, that's what matters to me!

Check out their channel here- Wes N Wheels!

Talk About Successes

Make sure you are talking about successes FIRST.

There is a great deal of research proving the influence of positive reinforcement.

Positively reinforce your children by celebrating their accomplishments and recognizing their progress.

Talk About Road Blocks

When they are failing... when they just aren't quite getting something... talk to them about it.

Rather than looking at it as a failure, let them know it is a roadblock and roadblocks can be overcome.

Identify the roadblock and create a plan to work around the obstacle.

Roll With Their Changes

If your children are anything like mine, they change their minds about things constantly. Their favorite color last week will most likely not be their favorite color next week. Some of their goals may change too, and that's okay.

Roll with it.

Still, make sure you roll with it in a positive way. If your child is in the middle of a micro soccer season, and they decided they haaaaate soccer, remind them they made a commitment, and the importance of keeping commitments. If they don't want to play after that season, encourage them to try something new!

Help Our Children Reach Their Goals

Everyone has goals, even if they aren't defined. How much easier is it to meet goals when you know exactly what you are working towards and how you plan on getting there?!

It's never too early to begin instilling this into our children, and by teaching them how to create and reach their goals you will be helping them create healthy habits.

Don't forget to have some fun along the way and enjoy the progress you see as they grow!

Are your kiddos working on any goals currently? I'd love to hear about them and what you guys are doing to achieve them! Share below!

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