by Justine Southwick

Created on: June 17, 2009

It's the New Year and thoughts turn to making resolutions and setting goals. Working towards any goal requires determination, motivation and strength qualities that are never too early to learn. Teaching children these at an early age will stand them in good stead for life, and there are plenty of ways parents can do this.

Goal setting is an important process for children. It helps to form healthy work and play habits, so your children are more likely to succeed and be confident in their own abilities as adults.

Children learn largely by interacting with the people around them. As parents, it's important to lead by example, and act as a positive role model for children.

The Montessori Association of New Zealand suggests parents guide children by setting and sticking to their own goals. Your children will do as you do, so write down your goals, tell your children about them, and keep them updated on progress so they can see you achieving. Here are some ideas to help your children learn the process of goal setting:

Let them choose

Personal choice and control are important for children, and your child will work harder to achieve a goal if they have set the goal themselves. Work with your child to decide on a goal but respect their choice. It's the working towards the goal and the learning to focus that counts, not the goal itself.

When deciding on a goal with your child, make sure the goal is challenging but within the child's reach, as having an unrealistic aim can be frustrating for children. It's also important to consider your child's age as time moves at a different pace for children; the younger the child, the shorter-term the goal should be. Examples of goals your child may like to achieve include household activities such as clearing away toys and making their bed, physical activities such as riding a bike or swimming a certain number of lengths, reading a book within a certain timeframe, getting an 'A' in a particular subject at school, or even meeting new friends.

Write it down

Once a goal has been chosen, ask your child to write it down, then ask them to write down why it is important to reach that goal. Then decide together what steps your child will take to reach their goal along with the timeframe they intend to achieve it by. Write these down as well as it will help your child to focus.

Make sure the paper the goal is written on is always in front of the child you may like to stick it on the fridge or in their school diary. This

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