The new year is a great time to have a family home evening based on goals. It is important to teach your children how to set and achieve goals. It teaches how to progress and to achieve their dreams. It can also bring a great sense of accomplishment to them. During this lesson you may want to have your children set goals in specific areas. You can share the goals you are setting. It is great if you can work out a way to support each other throughout the process.
You can open the lesson by sharing 2 Nephi 28:30. Explain that the Lord gives us more information as we progress forward. The changes that we make do not always need to be big ones, but it is important to continue to make changes for the better. You can talk about some areas that you think the family members should each make individual goals in. Some possible areas include spiritual goals, physical goals, relationship goals, and education goals. If you have small children you may just want to choose two categories with one goal each. As your children grow older you may have them set more goals.
You can then record each child’s goals and later print them up to hang in their room as a reminder. To encourage your children in achieving these goals you should discuss the steps that each one needs to take in order to achieve the goal. You may want to create a checklist for the child to mark off as he finishes each step towards his goal. You can post the charts in his bedroom or in the kitchen, so that you can encourage everyone as a family.
You may want to set some family goals as well. These could include things such as family home evening or scripture study. You could also set goals to spend more time together exercising as a family or spending an extra night a week or a month together. You can set a goal to eat dinner together a few times a week. The goals can really be tailored to your family’s needs. Once you have determined your family goals (one or two is usually best) then you can create a chart for each step in the goal. You should celebrate as a family each time you reach a milestone.
If you are teaching primarily adults you can adjust the lesson by talking about the importance of continuous self-improvement. You may want to use “The Word Is Commitment,” “The Message: Go For It!” and “Some Thoughts on Goal Setting.” You may also want to give people the opportunity to form support groups for certain goals. If there are several people interested in exercise or weight loss goals, they could support each other. It often helps to have group support when achieving your goals.
You can choose your favorite hymns for this week. Do not forget to begin and end with a prayer. You should also plan a fun activity or game for the night.
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