As the new year approaches, many of us are thinking about personal goals as well as goals for our kids this coming year. We know that setting goals is an important way to focus our efforts towards the things we want to achieve.
Tips for Setting Goals with Your Kids:
- Involve the Entire Family
- Use Luke 2:52 as a Template (below)
- Set SMART Goals (adjusting to Age/Stage of your child)
- Write the Goals Down
- Regularly Check On Progress & Encourage Each Other
- Celebrate the Wins
Tina and I started a tradition of goal setting with our family many years ago that continues to this day. Every New Year’s Day (or within the first week of the year), we go to breakfast and share our personal goals for the year using Luke 2:52 as a template.
As Christians, we have the guidance of the Bible and the Guide (Holy Spirit) to help us set and keep goals that are in line with God’s will for our lives. In Luke 2:52, we see that, “Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and all the people.”
4 Ways Jesus Matured:
- Intellectually
- Physically
- Spiritually
- Relationally
As On Purpose Parents, our desire is that our kids would become like Jesus. Our privilege and responsibility are to help them move towards this goal. At breakfast, our conversation would center around these 4 questions:
- What’s one habit you want to add or subtract this year to grow intellectually?
- What’s one habit you want to add or subtract this year to grow spiritually?
- What’s one habit you want to add or subtract this year to become healthier physically?
- What’s one habit you want to add or subtract this year to have healthier friendships?
As you look at helping your kids have their best year ever, helping them set goals is a great start! Raising your children “to become interdependent, life-long followers of Jesus, who desire to make a Kingdom contribution” is no easy task. Our Saddleback Parents Team is here to help you win! You’re not alone. We love your family!
