Growing Grit: Helping Kids Set Goals and Stay With Them

In this episode of UNrattled, we explore how parents can help children set meaningful goals, develop perseverance, and build the resilience to stick with hard things—without pushing too hard or tying worth to achievement. Drawing on research about grit, executive function, motivation, and social-emotional development, we break down what goal-setting looks like at different ages and how parents can support healthy follow-through. Key Takeaways for Listeners: Grit is about sustained effort toward meaningful goals — not pressure, perfection, or talent. Goal-setting relies on executive function skills that develop over time and require adult scaffolding. Process praise builds resilience more effectively than outcome praise. Small, achievable goals build confidence and intrinsic motivation. Healthy perseverance includes knowing when to adjust the plan.