Summer Goals for Family Fun & Growth-Part 4, Kids

For the last week I have talked about setting goals for the summer by thinking through and planning for both a productive and a fun/relaxing summer.

I talked about setting goals by spending time with the Lord and getting His wisdom and discernment over the priorities He would have for you to focus on this summer with yourself, your husband, and your children in Part 1. In Part 2 the discussion was about how to plan and Part 3 was thinking through specific categories.

Use this series and today’s outline as a reference, not letting yourself get overwhelmed. Use this to help you and your child determine priorities on many different levels for your child’s life this summer.

This will help them put down an activity that is a time waster and choose (many times, but not all times, so don’t get your hopes too high) something more productive to do. This will also help teach your child ambition, drive, and to see the needs of others around them.

• The following has sample questions for your child to help them know what to think and pray about. You can help them with this, depending on their ages.
• This would be neat to have them save to use as a reference sheet, but also copy a set to put in their photo album as a record of their thoughts/goals over the years.
• Please feel free, of course, to alter as fits your family.
• Consider the ages of your children and use accordingly.

If you or your child becomes overwhelmed, just look through it and bottom line a few goals.

SPIRITUAL–

• Quiet time with the Lord: When will you do it during the day? Where will you sit? What do you need to have with you to be prepared and not have to get up?  What will you study during this time?
• Prayer – do you want a prayer journal or notebook? What does this look like to you?
• Devotional book? Or what book in the Bible would you like to dig in to?
• Do you know how to use Strong’s Concordance or BibleGateway.com and reference manuals? Is this something you want to learn to use this summer?
• What sin do you need to focus on dealing with and overcoming?
• Verses you want to memorize (might be ones to do with sin or struggle you have).
• Who would you like to witness to?
• Is there someone on your heart to mentor? Who? How?
• Ministry. Who would you like to minister to? Neighbors, friends, widows, orphans, homeless, soup kitchen, nursing home, children’s home, hospital.
• Do you have skills/talents that you could share with others? Singing, playing an instrument? Nursing home or hospital; making cards (make banner for children’s wing or older shut in; reading – read to someone in hospital or an elderly neighbor; yard work – neighbors, grandparents,

CHARACTER–

• What quality are you wanting to change? Why? What situations happen in which you recognize area for improvement?
• Some things to think about: temper, selfishness, pride, lust, arguing, provoking, unkind, gossip, initiative, seeing needs and helping around the house.

CHORES–

• What needs to be done around the house?
• What things do you need to learn so that you know how to run a house by the time you graduate from high school? Inside and outside chores.
• What things could you do to lighten the load of your mother and father?
• Consider: meal preparation, cooking, and clean up; everything to do with clothing from washing, ironing, folding, mending and organizing; yard work, organizing home – every drawer, games, kitchen cabinets; vehicle usage and maintenance.

CONTINUOUS LEARNING–

• BOOKS:

o   What topic of books would you like to read? (sciences, biographies of missionaries, biographies of professional athletes, history books, fiction, a particular series? Classics,)

o   How many books would you like to have read this summer?

o   How often would you like to go to the library?

o   Where will you keep your books so you are responsible for them?

o   How long will you read each day or how many chapters do you want to read each day?

• RESEARCH:

o   Have a lifelong goal to continue to learn and grow and expand your knowledge

o   What things are you interested in learning more about? Biology, BMX riding, cake decorating, quilting, scrapbooking, boating, hunting, fishing, soccer, motorcycle repair, basketball, missionaries, how to fix things, developing friendships, decorating, photography.

o   What subjects would you like to research on the internet to expand your knowledge?

o   What subjects are some of your friends/family members/grandparents interested in that you could research to have things of interest to them to talk about?

• SKILLS:

o   What are some skills you would like to improve on?

o   Examples: shooting free throws, learning more about BMX riding, cake making/decorating.

o   Setting a time frame for how long you will practice: such as playing the piano, practicing the guitar, schedule for weight training,

• INTERESTS:

o   What are some areas of interest you have that you would like to learn to do: playing the guitar, learn to golf, play tennis, be on a swim team,  practice the piano, get an art book to learn to draw or develop more skills in it, flower arrangement, decorating cupcakes, shooting range, sewing, drama, dance, ride motocross, do hair.

• ACADEMICS:

o   What would you like to brush up on over the summer?

o   Examples: learn to type, learn to draw and do art, Times tables, learning Power Point, learning Excel, reading faster, understanding what you’re reading,  cursive writing, calligraphy,

FAMILY:

• Write down each family member’s name on a separate line and list what you like about each, and different things you have noticed about him/her.
• Write next to each sibling and parent’s name what you could do this summer to invest in the relationship with each. Think about things you could do with them to play around the house, things you could do with them to help them, to lighten their load, places to go that are of interest to them (not necessarily you), things you could do, and maybe some special activity or outing you could plan.

FRIENDSHIPS

• Take a good look at yourself and your friendships? What would you like to see change?
• Who would you like to get to know better this year? To encourage, to get to know better, to include.
• What are some things you could do to show yourself friendly? Step out of comfort zone and talk to others, invite over, send a card, call.

FUN/RELAXATION:

• What things do you like to do, could you do outdoors? Choose these rather than whatever habits, time wasters you might typically choose to do.
• What things do you like to do, could you do indoors? Choose these rather than whatever habits, time wasters you might typically choose to do.
• What are some ideas for a family vacation within the family’s budget?

WAYS TO MAKE MONEY:

DAILY SCHEDULE:

• What could your typical summer schedule look like, using some of the goals you have thought about and could incorporate into your summer? For example: wake up, make bed and clean room, quiet time on back porch reading book of John and taking notes, chores to help around house, read 2 chapters each day, time learning new craft or skill … reward by playing 30 minutes on video game, practice piano 30 minutes.

BOTTOM LINE IT:

• Now that you have thought through and answered these questions, bottom line it. When this summer is over, what do you truly want to have accomplished?

Record your answers here:

My Summer Goals for 2011

By _______________________   Date: ________________

 

SPIRITUAL–

CHARACTER-

CHORES–

CONTINUOUS LEARNING–

• BOOKS:

 

• RESEARCH:

 

• SKILLS:

 

• INTERESTS:

 

• ACADEMICS:

 

FAMILY:

FRIENDSHIPS

FUN/RELAXATION:

• OUTDOORS

• INDOORS

• VACATION or GET AWAY IDEAS

• IDEA for fun outing with Mom/Dad and siblings

• FIELD TRIP or special idea to do together:

• OTHER:

WAYS TO MAKE MONEY

DAILY SCHEDULE:

BOTTOM LINE IT:    MY MAIN GOALS THIS SUMMER ARE: