Goal Setbacks? Three Things to Do

Hey there! How’s it going? There’s been a lot of great discussion about various math problems and the ins and outs of Saxon in the Facebook group this week so I know everyone is back in the swing of things and hard at work. January can be a dreary month but I hope this series on goals and goal-setting has been timely as we jump into the new year.

But now is the time where things are getting more difficult. And I know when you are educating children in academics it can seem overwhelming to tackle behavior or character-building issues like goals and resolutions, too. I hope your student has stayed motivated to make positive changes, but if they’re struggling, I wanted to give you three ideas for helping them stick with the work it takes to meet their goals.

We know you helped them set good goals. But what happens when they aren’t where they want to be yet? Most kids don’t appreciate delayed gratification, so here’s what to do if they are feeling frustrated, not seeing progress, or wanting to give up.

1. Remind them to be patient. Some things just take time. Some goals are entirely based on time (like the 30-5 club–you have to simply do the thing over time)! It takes patience to see results in almost anything. If your child is struggling with waiting for results, point out the progress they have made so far. Praise them for the attempts and hard work they have put in to achieving something or getting better. And do it as often as is necessary to build your child up.

2. Get back on track asap. So they missed a day, or they had a setback, or things are going more slowly than they wanted. Maybe they’ve even decided to quit. Help them get back on track ASAP if they still have any inkling of desire to reach their goal. In other words, it’s always okay to start again. Call it a second attempt and remind them that we all need do-overs from time to time.

3. Squash negative thinking. Sometimes the most discouraging thing about trying to reach a goal isn’t any failure or mean words from someone else. It’s the words we say to ourselves. And even very young kids can be pretty harsh to themselves. Here’s a great way to remind them of an alternative script that can be way more encouraging!

I hope 2020 is going great for you so far. I hope that you’re working on some goals of your own, too, and experiencing success in that. This list will work for you, too, so be patient, stay or get back on track, and talk kindly to yourself. You got this!

Talk to you soon,

Nicole the Math Lady