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Gifting SMARTer Goals This Holiday Season!

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It’s tough being a parent in an age where kids constantly see examples of instant gratification everywhere they look. Children are under a constant barrage of media and content focusing on how people can become insta-celebrities, insta-rich, and insta-happy without any experience, knowledge, or dedication needed! This has left us in a challenging and, in my opinion, troubling environment. As great as a parent can be, none of us are equipped to combat this cultural tidal wave of instant-gratification-focused content that is present in our children’s lives. 

As we enter the height of the holiday season, I’m more focused on what I can do for my children. I want to gift them items of real value beyond the never-ending supply of planet-choking plastic stuff that seems to make its way into my home every year, regardless of actively avoiding it! 

Like any caring parent, I want to provide my kids with a fun and loving Christmas. Still, I don’t want to gift them the quick serotonin hit that comes with opening present after present with no real care for the item itself, looking for that rush of opening the next thing. No, I want to gift my kids things they’ll use, love, and hopefully grow with them as people. 

This time of year, as a family financial planner, you can imagine I get questions from clients regarding holiday budgeting and such, which inspired me to share some feelings on gifting and how gifting perspective (along with some fun, tangible stuff) is how I want to go about this holiday season with my family. 

SMARTer Goals

I’m always looking for new ways to teach my kids life lessons, whether about financial literacy or working hard to achieve goals; I strive to do this all the time. Recently, the whole family was watching some bull riding on TV, and funny enough, my littlest one and only girl, Isla, loved the bull riding! She couldn’t get enough of it. So, as a family (led by my 5-year-old boy, Boden, we discussed how Isla could one day ride a bull. I suggested we use the SMART goal system to outline how my 2-year-old daughter would one day ride giants.

If you’re not familiar with the acronym, here it is:

S – Specific M – Measurable A – Achievable R – Relevant T – Time-bound

smarter goals

Through the SMART goal system, we brought Boden’s ambitious plan for Isla to life, turning a lofty dream into actionable steps and a fun learning experience. Here’s how Isla’s journey to becoming a champion bull rider aligns with SMART goals:

  • Specific: The goal is clear—Isla will compete in professional bull riding. It is broken into manageable milestones, starting with a rocking elephant.
  • Measurable: Progress is tracked through small victories, like balancing on her elephant rocking toy, riding a dog (corgi-sized), and eventually a pony.
  • Achievable: The plan is age-appropriate, with skills gradually being built without rushing Isla onto a bucking bronco.
  • Relevant: Isla’s love for bull riding fuels her motivation, making the effort engaging and meaningful.
  • Time-bound: Short- and medium-term goals, like mastering the rocking elephant this month and progressing to a pony within a year, provide clear, realistic timelines.

SMARTer Goals and Gifting Fulfillment 

Whether my daughter follows her dreams of bull riding or not, this fun thing we did as a family helped reinforce lessons that I hope my kids carry with them as they continue their life journey: success is made step by step, patience and long-term application work together, and experiences are priceless; most “things” are not. 

Now, I’m not telling you to gift your kids long-term goals this holiday season; you may just end up with eggnog in your lap and coal in your stocking if you deny your kids some fun tidings on Christmas morning, but you can also gift them more than that. While maybe not the instant and albeit momentary satisfaction of a red rider bb-gun (dating myself), helping them discover long-term goals is a gift all unto itself, whether that be bull riding or graduating college with little-to-no debt, it’s an investment in themselves and self-fulfillment, which is a gift that never stops giving. 

A quick shoutout: I am a big fan of Jesse Itzler and his general philosophies on family and life. I got my family his Big A## Calendar for Christmas, and I can’t wait to plot out our 2025 together. If you and your family would enjoy planning out 2025 with this giant calendar, schedule a meeting,  and I’ll see if Santa can arrange for one to arrive in your stocking!

SMARTer Goals – It All Starts With a Plan

If you’re wondering what to gift a loved one or even yourself this holiday season, I suggest gifting some SMART financial planning. As a Boston financial planner, I’m always trying to convey the message that financial empowerment can start no matter what income bracket someone is in. I enjoy educating/guiding my clients on day 1 as much as day 5000. 

You can still get your loved one those new earbuds or a fancy blender, but a meeting with a financial advisor such as myself can be a priceless introduction, leading to achieving more goals and better living for future holidays. 

Book a Call With Scott

Have a Wonderful Holiday Season 🎄

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