No one can improve without knowing their starting point and setting a goal. Sit down with your child and discuss his or her current grades. (This may necessitate getting in touch with the teacher.) Have your child decide what grade he or she would like to have in a designated amount of time. Add your input to help shape your child’s goal, but let him or her take control. Be realistic. If your child has a D right now, it’s not fair—and probably not feasible—to ask him or her to pull it up to an A by next week.

Perfection is unattainable—don’t demand it. You may be setting your child up to fail if you do.

Once you have a goal established, make a list of the steps necessary to reach that goal, and decide on how you will help track it. Charts are great for tracking goals, but be conscientious about where you place it. Do you really want it on the refrigerator so everyone knows what’s going on? Maybe, if you want your child’s progress to be a family event. But your child may also be embarrassed. Find the best option for you and your child.

Today’s Task

Establish your child’s current grade as a baseline and allow your child to set a goal of where they’d like to be in a set amount of time. Make a plan that includes steps necessary to reach that goal and how the goal will be tracked. Share your goals in in the comments below and, if you’re able, help someone else create their goals!

Ready to move on to the next lesson? Day 3 – Get Organized (at School)