Goals are hopes one strives to achieve. Just as you would teach your child the importance of achieving small accomplishments so should you teach your child to set long term goals and how to attain them. Setting goals teaches a child how to plan for something he hopes to achieve in the furute, how hard he/she will have to work to achieve it and the personal satisfaction he will feel when it has been reached. For a small child a simple way to start teaching goal setting could be giving a job that is easily completed followed by words of praise such as putting away all of his toys or making her bed. By setting the foundation of showing your child how to set goals allows him/her to start planning his own goals. The important thing to remember about setting goals for a child is to start off by making them attainable. If they are too hard to reach a child will feel discouraged and give up. The feeling of accomplishment will spur him/her on to try other goals. Whether your child succeeds or fails at reaching a goal, your support is really all that matters to him. Each new goal allows you another opportunity to show your child that you love him/her, whatever the outcome is. For you, this will be a goal well met. For more information www.sheilaaronbooks.com.