Goals

Goals have been the topic of the week here.  In addition to it being a new year, I taught Joy School lessons about goals for our preschool group.

Me:  So have you been thinking of the goals you want to work on during Joy School?
Student 1:  My goal is to finish my work on time!
Me:  Very nice, that's a great goal.
Student 2:  I'm going to stay calm and be nice!
Me:  That's wonderful.
Edee:  I'm going to help my friends.
Me:  Nice.  How about you work on including everyone also along with that.  What about you Chicken?
Chicken:  I'm going to jump on a cloud!!
Me:  Uh....ok, that sounds fun, but let's think of something we can do during school time...
Chicken:  I want to pack-tice jumping on da cloud!

The other kids are giggling.  After a few minutes of a (pointless) debate about it with Chicken, I suggest something else about helping Mom out and jot it on his chart.

A few days later, we are talking about new chore charts we made and family goals as part of a family night.

Me:  Okay, so I am going to put our charts upstairs where we can see them.  Should we keep the same goals or should we do something else?  Hmm....how about Daddy and I keep the same goals we had.  Edee, do you want to keep the same goal about not whining?
Edee:  Yeah!  I didn't whine today! I get a smiley face!!
Me:  Okay, and Chicken, do you want to keep the same goal of using the potty or do you want to do something else, like not throwing fits?
Chicken:  I want to jump on a cloud!!!
Daddy:  Ha ha ha ha ha ha.
Me:   Ugh.  Funny to you Daddy, but this isn't the first time I've heard this.  Uh, okay, honey, you really can't jump on a cloud.  And even if you could, it's not something we can practice at home together in our family.  Do you want to work on staying dry? Or not throwing fits?
Chicken:  I want to jump on a cloud!  ONLY dat one!
Me:  Okay.  Listen.  Sorry to burst your bubble, but you can't do that.  It won't work.
Chicken:  Only jumping on a cloud.
Me:   No.  Hmmm....what should our goal be for you?
Chicken:  DAT is a goal, get a goal FOR ME.  DAT IS DA GOAL, get a goal for me!!

Well.  I guess that is the case....my goal now is to find a goal for Clayton that we can agree on (or that is at least more realistic than jumping on a cloud).