Читать книгу Raising Cooperative Kids - Marion S. Forgatch - Страница 13

 Be specific.

 Frame your goal positively.

 State what you want.

 Be future-oriented.

 Choose a goal that can be broken into small steps.

 State the goal so a stranger can understand it.

Think of two families who are about to travel across the country from coast to coast. Both families live in the same town on the East Coast and are traveling to the same area on the West Coast. Since each journey begins and ends at the same place, you could say that they have the same goal—to travel from point A to point B. But for each family, the goals of the trip depend on a number of factors—available time and resources, personal interests, and family strengths. Considering these factors, each family checks various routes and makes a plan.

The Hancock family has two weeks to make a round trip across country to attend a family reunion celebrating the grandparents' fiftieth anniversary. As much as they wish to fly to save time—like some of their in-laws—they can't afford airline tickets for the two adults, three children, and beagle that make up their family. However, they have a perfectly fine minivan that can deliver them safely to their destination and back. If they stick to the interstates and mom and dad take turns driving on the way out, they can take it easy coming home and do a little sight-seeing.

The Rodriguez family has a full month to spend with an RV fitted for camping. Their final destination is the husband's parents' house on the West Coast. The purpose of their trip is vacation. Time is not a factor. Their goal is to see the country and visit points of interest to them along the way, like the world's largest ball of string and Yellowstone's geysers.

These two families design entirely different trips, even though their start and end points are the same. The Hancocks' route is straightforward, emphasizing speed and efficiency. The Rodriguez family plots a winding course following blue-line roads that avoid busy interstates and take them to beautiful lakes, national parks, and points of historical interest. As you can see, goals incorporate something more than simple outcomes. Individual family values and practical conditions are critical factors that capture the components of dreams. As each family designs its travel plan, they begin by defining a destination.