January 7, 2010
Welcome to 2010! Ready or not, the New Year has come. In reality, our calendar is simply numbers on a page, but psychologically this is an ideal time for teaching your precious children a skill that is both necessary for their future success and essential for their protection. I am talking about learning how to commit to decisions, set goals, and make wise choices. Joshua said to the people of Israel as he was about to take over the leadership of a nation from Moses: “choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve… but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
That mandate has not changed, especially for our children. We can no longer rest assured that the culture surrounding our boys and girls will support their decision to claim godliness for their lifestyle or salvation in Jesus Christ as their hope. They need to know how to make Bible-based choices and Christ-honoring decisions and stick with them. If they are to grow in the spiritual disciplines that will lead to spiritual maturity, and aim at a life that is pleasing to God, then learning to set goals and priorities and carrying them out to completion is a must.
During the month of January, Heartland Focus programs will focus on the “how’s and why’s” of teaching your children this essential skill of wise goal-setting and godly decision-making. This ability to make good choices is far too critical to allow development in our children by accident. It is a teachable skill, and worthy of a Christian parent’s or grandparent’s attention.
Some quick things to bear in mind when helping your children set goals:
- The process of writing goals and decisions down helps solidify them in a child’s mind. Help them put their goals into written, visible form. Perhaps a picture for visual-learning children will help them see what their goal will look like when it is achieved.
- Deadlines and time frames for goals are important, but be careful when suggesting deadlines or target dates for a goal to be achieved We are at the age where the months and years seem to fly by, but that is not true for children. Two weeks may seem to a child like an impossibly long time.
- As much as possible, let your boy or girl come up with the ideas for their own goals. You can make suggestions, of course, but for the sake of ownership let your children participate fully in the process. Children may make their goals unmanageably big, so assist them in creating “how do we get there from here” mini-goals so that they can see progress quickly, preferably on a daily basis.
- Support your child’s efforts to achieve their goal – but don't take over! Be interested and helpful, but do not short-circuit the decision-making process. Both the blessings and challenges will be your child’s teachers, and they must be allowed to experience the consequences of their choices.
- Finally, set a good example by having written goals of your own and let your children see you working towards them regularly.
Our broadcast today was sponsored by the Tea and Gift Shoppe of Bemidji, who invite you to slow down and drink a cup of tea.