Being able to push through challenges to work towards long-term goals is one of the final executive functioning skills to develop in children. Any parent who has an instrument they purchased for their child gathering dust in their house can relate to this reality. Development of this skill is critical for children to be able to reach their goals and overcome challenges, however.
Signs Your Child Struggles with Goal-Directed Persistence
If your child has difficulty with any of the following areas (organized by grade level), they may have goal-directed persistence challenges:
Preschool/Kindergarten
- Directing other children (though not excessively) during play
- Seeking out assistance to resolve conflicts
- Trying multiple solutions to reach simple goals
First-Third Grade
- Sticking with challenging activities to reach a goal (e.g., working on a difficult Lego set)
- Returning to tasks if interrupted
- Working on projects over several hours or days
Fourth-Fifth Grade
- Saving their allowance for three to four weeks to purchase a desired item
- Following a practice schedule to improve at a skill (e.g., a sport, instrument, etc.)
- Sticking with a hobby for several months
Sixth-Eighth Grade
- Able to increase effort to improve performance (e.g., studying harder to improve grades)
- Completing chores to earn money
- Willing to practice a skill without reminders
Strategies to Address Goal-Directed Persistence
The following strategies can be implemented to help your child if they struggle with goal-directed persistence:
- Start with brief tasks and offer assistance and praise
- Have your child identify goals they want to work towards (e.g., completing a Lego set)
- Provide rewards or exciting activities as something to look forward to at the end of less desirable tasks. Make sure these rewards are something your child actually wants and is not something they normally get anyways
- Slowly increase the amount of time required to complete goals and consider using a visual representation of your child’s goal (e.g., shading in a thermometer like the ones used in fundraisers)
- Provide reminders about what your child is working towards (e.g., hang a picture of the video game they are working towards on the fridge)
- Incorporate technology (e.g., countdown timers) to help your child keep sight of their goal
By following these strategies, you can help your child stick with challenging tasks for longer to reach their goals.
Reference:
Dawson, P., & Guare, R. (2009). Smart but scattered. New York, NY: The Guilford Press.