How To Raise Expectations For Kids & Get Results
By Fern Weis. Posted on .
What does raising the bar look like for you? What expectations do you have for your children? Setting high expectations is a good thing, as long as the bar isn't out of reach.
Some of the students I teach have trouble with organization and keeping track of assignments. Meetings with parents of tweens and guidance sometimes result in a long list of things the child is supposed to accomplish or master. Honestly, if someone handed me a list like that I would probably shut down and give up (and some of them do). It's too much, too quickly. Just remembering to always put finished homework in their backpack is a major accomplishment.
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Most goals or tasks are comprised of any number of smaller steps. For years corporations and organizations have used the S.M.A.R.T. Goal process to increase achievement. First you take a big task and break it down into smaller steps. Then you S.M.A.R.T. Goal the steps. Are they Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-sensitive? If the answer to any of those questions is 'no', you might want to rethink the step.
The process works for adults, and with a little tweaking it will work for kids, too. From research projects to straightening up their room, the concept is the same. Keep the big picture in mind, and implement in small steps. And remember to celebrate the small stuff, because nothing builds success like success. And speaking of the big picture, here is an inspiring video about ordinary people who have accomplished extraordinary things. To your parenting success!
