How to set healthy academic goals and rewards with your teen

Published on 15th December, 2022 at 02:47 pm

It starts with SMART goals, and instilling a healthy rewards system that doesn’t strictly associate academic achievements with monetary rewards. An expert shares how.

Reading time: 3 minutes

In this article you’ll learn:

• How to help support your teen in reaching their academic goals.
• The best way to reward your teen for their efforts while instilling sound money principles.
• About the Online Education by Boston benefit.

Your teen needs to ask “why?”

“Your teen has to start with a plan,” says Milena Raaff, an integral coaching practitioner specialising in supporting those who are experiencing change, specifically teens and young adults. “I always start by asking [teens] the question, ‘Why?’. ‘Why are you doing what you are doing?’.” Once they know this – they can figure out how to achieve that goal. “Teenagers need to learn that every choice they make is for themselves. They are building self-preservation and independence,” she says.

School subject choices are one of the biggest decisions your teenager will make. Here are some tips to help them choose subjects that can help them make their career dreams a reality.

SMART goals

With a plan and motivation set, now’s the time to break down how your teen is going to achieve their academic goals. This is where SMART goals, an acronym that is used to help guide goal setting, comes into play.

According to the Corporate Finance Institute, “SMART goals set you up for success by making goals specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely. The SMART method helps push you further, gives you a sense of direction, and helps you organise and reach your goals.” Therefore, by making use of a SMART goal, you can encourage your teen to strive for goals that are:

Specific

To reach a goal, it needs to be specific and well-defined. They are much more likely to accomplish their objective if it is clear-cut. Why do they want the goal?

Measurable

Setting a goal that they can measure is crucial because it allows them to track their progress and stay motivated. “They cannot start working for their Matric exams three weeks before they start,” says Milena. “They need to ask themselves, ‘How long is it going to take?’.”

Attainable

Set goals that are realistic. They must be willing to work to attain their goals, but they must also be able to achieve their goals. What is actually achievable?

Relevant

A relevant goal is results-focused. It’s not just an activity or an exercise. Your teen’s goal should help them advance in some way.

Time-bound

A goal should always have a defined deadline. Without a time frame, there is no sense of urgency, and they’re unlikely to attain it.

Thought gaming can hinder your child’s intelligence? Not true! Read this to find out more.

Where money and marks meet

When you attach money to academic achievement, it becomes an expectation and doesn’t necessarily offer the learning and the practice going forward.

“Research has shown that rewards programmes may produce less engaged students. It suggests that young people are being trained to do the minimum amount needed to get the reward, and then they lose interest,” writes Marilyn Geewax for NPR.org.

What’s more, “Your teen will do the schoolwork for the money, and not for themselves, which is exactly what we don’t want,” says Raaff. “If you want to instil good money principles, rather reward them with pocket money for doing basic jobs around the house,” she advises.

“If you want your teen to be successful, you need to encourage them, listen to them, try to understand them and communicate with them. Once you have done this, and motivated them to find their spark and find what they love doing, you will see results that money can’t buy.”

As a Sanlam Reality member, your teens can use your Online Education by Boston benefit, which gives them access to a free online supplementary education platform, based on the CAPS curriculum, for Grades 8-12. Plus they enjoy access to a complete online schooling platform at discounted tutor rates, supported by qualified teachers for Grades 10-12.