Tutor Recommends Setting Goals in LATE January

Though most folks think of January 1 as the best time for making resolutions for the new year, as a tutor, I prefer the end of this month and into early February as the ideal time for students to set their goals.  Why?

Now that the holiday hullabaloo has died down, it’s easier for kids to recall which skills and habits need improving.  Though a break from our routine can provide adults clarity, tweens and teens more easily forget how often they forget to hand in homework or how disorganized their backpacks are while they’re on vacation or enjoying their holiday gifts.  (And who really wanted to spoil their fun by reminding them back in late December?)  A few weeks after the break, though, even the most forgetful middle schooler can’t hide from reality! 

The rough midpoint in the school year, the end of January / beginning of February is as a great time to pause, reflect, and course correct.  In the fall, we might not have enough data about which bad habits need pruning; in the spring, it might be too late to do anything about them (for this school year, at least).  However, with five months left in the school year, now is the perfect time to look back at the last five with your child to assess what went well and what could go better during the 2019-2020 school year.  (Of course, if you need professional guidance during this process, feel free to reach out to me.)

Photo on Unsplash by Renee Fisher

In my talks and courses, I often start with a brief goal-setting exercise.  Check out the start of this video if you want to do that three-minute exercise at home with your child.  For more guidance on what makes an effective goal and how to achieve them, download my free e-book here.  Though these materials are intended for the students I teach and tutor, adults can use them, too!

Finally, setting authentic goals that come from the heart can, I hope, serve as a meaningful segue into Valentine’s Day.  Rather than – or in addition to – focusing on their latest crushes, it’s important for teens to build up the invaluable skill of loving themselves first.  What better way to begin to foster that feeling than sitting down with your teen and asking them to consider what’s important to them, what they want to achieve this year, and how they plan on doing so? 

Thanks for reading and wishing you and your teen a happy and love-filled, goal-directed February!

Dr. P.

 

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