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| A website for Latter-day Saint families searching for a house of order |
| Family Goals Notebook |
| By Valerie Albrechtsen Family Goals Notebook The Church provides programs like Cub Scouts and Personal Progress to help our children set and accomplish goals and “go forward to meet the great responsibilities that await them” (The First Presidency, Guidebook for Parents and Leaders of Youth, p. 2). Sometimes I have felt overwhelmed as a mother with a large family to help my children succeed. As I have prayed for a way to remain organized and efficient, the thought kept coming to my mind: our children cannot accomplish all that they are challenged to do without parental help. In fact it is our “primary responsibility to help them succeed.” (Guidebook for Parents and Leaders of Youth, p. 3.) The way that works best with our family is through Sunday interviews and The Family Goals Notebook. Organize The Family Goals Notebook Our Family Goals Notebook is made from a 3-ring binder and includes a tabbed divider and a few sheet protectors for each child. I gathered every Church pamphlet, card, and worksheet that I felt was pertinent to helping each child succeed and have it at my fingertips. I also gathered academic material from school teachers and counselors to help with school goals and college preparation. Goal cards that once got lost now have a home. And even though the older kids have their own copies of Personal Progress or Duty to God, there is an extra copy of each in the notebook for parental reference as well. Inside the front cover I store a copy of For the Strength of Youth, Fulfilling Our Duty to God. This resource helps our family follow goals and standards that the prophet has encouraged. Learn The Programs The next step was to read all of these materials until we understood them. This takes time depending on the ages of your children. It's especially important to remember that church leaders aren't responsible for all follow-up and goal setting. It is our responsibility as parents. I probably understood more about Primary than my husband did, but he understood the youth programs better. Sunday Interviews One Sunday a month, my husband has a personal priesthood interview with each child. On another week I review their goals with them using the Family Goals Notebook. We try to make this a positive one-on-one experience, but to be honest sometimes our children are less than enthused. However, by being persistent, consistent, and positive we have seen results. They are accomplishing more than they ever have before, have discovered that we are not giving up on them, and we feel better about ourselves as parents too. Goals Worksheet It’s helpful to write their goals down on a worksheet. A simple piece of notebook paper works well. We write areas or categories down the left side of the page (see sample Goal Categories below), help them set goals in each area, and write them down. The children are not always working on goals in every area, and we are flexible because their ages are so varied. In thinking of goals we try to include what it is, where and how and it will be done, and an end date. Sample Goal Categories: PRIMARY CHILDREN Baptism; Scouting or Activity Days; Faith in God Award; Family; Talents; Educational; Spiritual; Physical Sample goals:
YOUTH Priesthood Duties and Standards, or Personal Progress Value Experiences; Family Activities; Quorum Activities, or Young Women Activities; Spiritual; Physical; Educational; Personal; Career Development; Citizenship; Social Development; Scouting; Duty to God Service Project or Personal Progress Value Projects. Sample goals:
Accomplishing Goals There are many things that are appropriate for them to do on the Sabbath. We send them off on their quest, and they return and report. Some goals need to be included in our weekly family calendar. Older brothers or sisters can be assigned to help younger ones. Other goals need leader or teacher approval or signatures, so we encourage our kids to make those phone calls, or get those signatures. Sometimes I work with the younger children and my husband works with the older children, but we are partners as parents. Other times he works better encouraging a particular child than I do, or I am more available for interviews on Sunday than he is. Pray For Guidance My husband and I pray for our children to succeed, and for them to have experiences in their lives for their good. And we love the results we have seen. Sometimes goals need to be revised. The main thing is to keep on interviewing them every month and checking up on them every week. Be vigilant! |
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