How to help your tween accomplish a personal goal even if they’re discouraged because it’s taking longer than expected

Social media makes everything look fast and easy.

And even tweens with a healthy growth mindset can get discouraged if they can’t excel as quickly as their favorite social media influencer. Their growth mindset says, “I can learn a new skill.” But, It doesn’t say how long it will take them to master it. When you help your tween manage their expectations, they’ll be more likely to push through and achieve their goal — even if it takes longer than they think it should.

Here’s how.

Look for real-world examples

When you know how long something will take to accomplish, you can settle in and enjoy the learning journey.

For example, when planning a road trip, I first calculate the driving time and decide what I’ll need to bring. If I start driving without knowing how long I’ll be traveling, I’ll constantly be asking myself that dreaded question. “Are we there yet?”

Assess their current skill level

What’s their starting point? Are they applying old skills in new ways or starting from scratch?

A seasoned driver will arrive at their destination before a student that needs to learn how to drive before starting the trip. But, they are both capable of taking the trip.

Determine milestones they’ll need to achieve on their journey to mastery

With no signs or mile markers, it’s hard to stay on course.

Helping your tween figure out what they’ll need to know, or do on their way to achieving their goal will help them keep going.

And walking with your tween through these steps will help them see that they are capable of achieving their goals — on their own timeline.

Read this post and more on my Typeshare Social Blog