I’ve been trying to help my kids (8 and 10) learn about setting and working towards long-term goals, but it’s been a challenge. They seem to lose interest pretty quickly. I want to use positive reinforcement, but I’m not sure how to do it effectively for goals that might take weeks or months to achieve. Has anyone had success with this? What kinds of strategies or techniques have worked for you? I’d appreciate any advice or experiences you can share.
Our kids set goals and track progress on a whiteboard in the kitchen. They mark off steps as they go.
For bigger goals, we do small celebrations at milestones. Nothing fancy, just acknowledges their effort.
Keeps them motivated without overdoing the rewards.
My kids struggled with long-term goals too. We tried something that worked pretty well. They picked goals they really cared about, like a special toy or a fun family trip.
We made a colorful chart and broke the big goal into smaller weekly steps. Every time they finished a step, they got to put a sticker on the chart. It was simple, but they loved seeing their progress.
We also had little celebrations along the way. Nothing big, just something like having their favorite dessert or watching a movie together. It kept them excited without going overboard on rewards.
There were times they lost interest, but we just talked about why their goal mattered to them. That usually got them back on track. It took some time, but they’re getting better at sticking with things now.
We’ve been experimenting with a goal-setting chart in our house. My kid picks a big goal, and we break it into smaller weekly targets. Each week they hit their mark, they get to add a sticker to the chart. It’s not perfect, but seeing the progress visually seems to help keep them engaged. Sometimes we brainstorm rewards for reaching milestones along the way too. It’s still a work in progress, but it’s been interesting to see how it’s evolving.
I’ve been wondering about this too. My 5-year-old is just starting to grasp the idea of goals, but long-term ones seem tricky. We’re trying a simple chart with stickers for small daily tasks. It’s working okay so far, but I worry it might not translate to bigger goals.
I like the idea of breaking down larger goals into smaller steps. Maybe I could try that with something my kid really wants, like a special toy or outing? I’m curious how you handle setbacks or days when they lose interest. Do you adjust the goals or just keep encouraging them?
Has anyone found a good balance between rewards and intrinsic motivation for these longer goals? I want to keep my child excited without relying too much on prizes.
I remember when my kids were around that age. Long-term goals were tough! What worked for us was linking their goals to something they really wanted. My daughter was desperate for a new bike, so we made that her big goal. We broke it down into smaller weekly tasks. She’d do extra chores or practice her instrument more. Each time she hit a weekly target, she’d put a dollar in her ‘bike jar’. It was slow going at first, but seeing that jar fill up kept her motivated.
For my son, it was all about video games. We set up a point system where he earned game time by hitting his targets. Both kids had setbacks, but we kept it positive. Even small progress got praised. It took time, but they started seeing how small steps add up. Now they’re pretty good at working towards bigger things on their own.