My almost 9-year old daughter has a lot of strengths. She is super creative, is a great big sister (most of the time), and loves to learn. She's also far from perfect. She can have a hard time being a good sport--especially in 4-square. She can be impatient with others. She goes into a dramatic "Oh, woe is me" place when things don't go her way.
But this week, she said to me, "Mom, you know how you were talking about setting goals? I have a goal for the week. I want to be respectful."
I almost choked on the water I was drinking; I've never heard her say anything like that before. When I asked her why she said that, she said, "Well, you were talking about goals, and at school we were talking about respect." Throughout the week, I've seen her self-imposed goal help her to respond to things like, "Time to practice piano", or "Time to read" without an argument. I'm almost as shocked as you are.
At school this past month, several staff have participated in a health challenge, where we have daily and weekly goals for vegetable consumption, sleep, and exercise. Some 3rd graders got wind of it, and are loving encouraging and discouraging "steps" taken during recess so that their favorite teachers (theirs) win.
Successful people set realistic, short-term goals for themselves. And, one of the best ways we teach our children skills like this is by modeling the behavior ourselves. So, if you're the type inclined to make New Year's Resolutions, you might consider bringing your children in on your thinking process. They might be good cheerleaders for you, or you might inspire them to set their own!
