The new year is here, and with that often comes a “new year, new me” mentality. But setting goals isn’t as easy as saying what you wish to change. You need to set goals that are reasonable and attainable, and — most importantly — you need to put in the work to reach that goal. Lake Forrest Prep, one of the Orlando, Florida private schools, can help both you and your child learn to set goals. 

The Importance of Goal-Setting

Before your child can set goals, they need to understand why setting a goal is important in the first place. Goal-setting can help your child prepare for the future. Everyone, whether they are five or 50, has something they want to work towards, and setting a goal can help get you there. 

Change Your Mindset

Setting vague goals can make them difficult to meet later on down the road. “I’m going to eat healthier” sounds great, but how is your child going to carry that out? Rather than setting overarching, big goals, set smart strategic goals that can be adjusted throughout the year. Try “I’m going to eat fruit with lunch instead of fruit snacks,” or “instead of juice, I’m going to have a glass of milk.” Focus on what you’re gaining, rather than what you’re cutting out.

SMART Goals

Goals need to be both smart and SMART. That is, specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-bound. Let’s break it down:

• Specific goals: These are well defined. Rather than “I’ll do better in math,” it’s saying “I’ll raise my grade by one letter.”
• Measurable goals: It’s hard to stay motivated when you can’t track any progress. Aim for things you can measure, such as reading times, homework completed, or servings of fruits and vegetables in a day.
• Attainable goals: This is your plan for reaching your goal. What steps do you need to take? If it’s reading 30 minutes before bed, your child needs to make sure their book is ready, their teeth are brushed, and the television is off before they begin to read.
• Realistic: You want to encourage your child to set challenging, but reasonable goals. Making varsity on the basketball team might be more difficult if it’s your first year, but making 60% of your free throw shots is both measurable and realistic.
• Time-bound: It’s always good to set a timeline, whether that’s the month, the semester, or the year. 

Lake Forrest Prep, one of the Orlando, Florida private schools, is here to help your child be the best that they can be — and that includes setting goals. To learn more about how we encourage your child, give us a call at (407) 331-5144.