Raising a child is more like a marathon than a sprint, so it can sometimes be a good idea to also consider goals which follow suit. While it can be beneficial to start planning these goals before your child is born, or in the first few months, it is usually never too late to put them into practice.
This can help your child with their future independence, and also allow you to continue parenting in a way that makes you feel proud and accomplished. Setting some long term goals may seem difficult, so it can also be a good idea to consider how you can assess your progress over the coming months and years.
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Some parents may opt to set a financial goal to help their children get ahead in life. This could allow your child a lot more freedom in the future. Thankfully, you don’t need to have a large amount of wealth at your disposal to be able to put money aside. Setting up a junior ISA will allow you to keep saving for your child right up until they reach adulthood. This money will also accrue interest, meaning your child may get out more than you put in. There is also usually not a minimum deposit required, meaning you can change the amounts that you put in depending on how much money you have to spare each month.
You may also want to develop your child’s life skills as time goes on. While it can be important for them to receive a good school education, there are other aspects in life that may not be taught within the national curriculum. Some daily tasks that you might take for granted, such as the ability to cook a meal, might not come naturally. Therefore, it can be a good idea to show and teach your child how to look after their belongings, and themselves.
This can sometimes be achieved by setting age-appropriate chores. In the beginning, this may involve more work for you, helping them to correct mistakes, however it can make a big difference when your child eventually leaves the family home.
Raising a kind and loving child can also be an important goal for some parents. You may not want them to get used or walked over by others, however you may also want to teach them to have empathy for those who might be less fortunate. This could also help them to create and maintain healthy relationships with colleagues, friends, and even romantic partners in the future.
One of the ways you may be able to achieve this could be through setting a good example of respect and kindness to others. This way, your child can emulate the behaviours they see within their home life.
It can feel like a parent’s work is never done, even after your child becomes an adult. By investing time and care into them when they are young, you may be able to look back on all of these moments, and feel genuine pride for the person they have grown into.