How to Help Your Child Achieve Their Goals and Dreams

Awhile back when my second oldest daughter, Naomi, was a young teenager she had a dream.

It is so important to let a children dream and become the person that God created them to be.

She wanted to be able to use her passion for photography to earn some income on the side.

We always try tell our children when they aspire to do something that:

1. Make sure it's what God wants you to do. 

2. Whatever you do, do it with all your might and do it to bring God glory. 

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord..."  

~Colossians 3:23

So to make a child's dream come true we bought her a camera.

And she practiced day after day and taught herself.

She asked for accessories for her birthday and Christmas.

She learned to use them all on her own.

She diligently took shots of her surroundings and her siblings and her friends.

And carefully studied websites, articles, and magazines.

And slowly but surely her goals became a realization.

She now can easily make an income with her photography.  She has now worked for families, big events, church functions, this blog, and even has worked several times for a major fast food chain! She eventually upgraded all her gear and now has a camera with all the bells and whistles. The Lord even blessed her with friends and neighbors who would pass down their extra equipment to her!

Here is a sample of some of her work early on:

I  even believe she would have no problem doing this full-time in the future if that is what she ever wanted to do so in the future.

Now if you would like to encourage your child, here are some helpful tips to help you help them to achieve their goals:

1. Encourage them and pray for them. A little bit of encouragement can go a long way, be sure to use it! And pray for them to follow God's direction.

2. Give them tools and let them run with it. Even though we bought a cheaper camera, it was still a great "starter" camera until she could afford something more professional and with the use of the internet today, the sky is the limit!

3. Praise them for their achievements and for not giving up. This teaches them perseverance and character and gives them hope. We all need hope and someone as a positive mentor and role model in our lives.


And before I go I wanted to share something fun to go along with this topic. Did you know that tomorrow, August 26th, the movie Greater is being released? It is an inspirational movie based on the life of Brandon Burlsworth that reminds us that any dream is possible.


Here is a quick peek at the trailer:

Here is a bit about it:

"GREATER is an inspirational movie based on the life of Brandon Burlsworth. Brandon had one dream – to play for the Arkansas Razorbacks.  Unfortunately, Brandon was a clumsy player who lacked the physical prowess to make the team.  He was written off by coaches and teased by his fellow teammates.  Undeterred, Brandon continued to show-up for practice.  He woke up before anyone else and worked harder than anyone else, until his determination paid off.  Not only was he given an opportunity to walk-on and play football – he became one of the greatest players on the field, and was drafted to the Indianapolis Colts. "

You can find a theater near you HERE. 

My husband (who was a football captain for his high school team) and five sons LOVE football so we will definitely be sure to catch this family-friendly movie!


What other tips do you have to encourage your children to achieve the goals/dreams?

Share them in the comments below!







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