What Goals Should a Ten Year Old Set?

Goal setting -- and more importantly goal reaching -- are both valuable life skills. If you have yet to begin, 10 years old is an excellent time to teach your child about the fundamentals of setting realistic goals. Teaching children to strive for their accomplishments gives them a sense of achievement as they plan, progress and reach their final goals. Whether it’s passing a math test, kicking the winning goal or saving enough to buy a new bike, goal setting enables children to become successful in life 1.

Education

Educational goals are amongst the most important, as education is the grounds for gaining wisdom and knowledge. It’s not uncommon for 10-year-olds to have trouble in a certain subject. Teaching your child to be accountable for what he wants to achieve and how he plans to get there will help him stay motivated. If Junior is having trouble learning fractions, he’ll need to practice each day to stay on track. It’s important for children to know that slip-ups don’t mean failure as long as you don’t give up.

Fitness

Physical activity is a major part of everyday life for many 10-year-olds. Whether your son wants to be a hockey star or your daughter a world-class artist, it takes time and determination to reach these goals. Ask your child, “What would you like to achieve?” and “How do you plan to get there?” Setting mini-goals can help boost a child’s confidence and self-esteem as he reaches each small milestone. For example, becoming a great hockey player will require weekly trips to the ice rink to practice.

Relationships

Building relationships is a life-changing goal. Whether your child’s goal is to get along better with his sister or to listen better to his mom and dad, relationship-based goals help children grow into caring, considerate adults. Repeating a goal helps it to better stick in your child’s head. Offer your child daily reminders of what he’s working towards to make it part of his regular routine. If your child does not reach his goal on a certain day, encourage him to keep trying for goals that are important to him.

Financial

Children are often motivated by money to purchase the things they want or need. Setting small financial goals, such as a new video game, will encourage many 10-year-olds to take action to achieve their goals. Children thrive on success, so it’s important to only present challenges that are realistic. Financial goals require Mom and Dad’s help of odd jobs that will allow Junior to save up for that new video game. Children should understand that setting and achieving goals is hard work, but is also worth the effort put forward.