This tool is used in conjunction with the tool Who Is in My Family? Once you have a sense of the family, you can more easily talk with the parent about their hopes and dreams at three levels: for their overall family, children, and themselves. Be clear with the parent that the hopes and dreams may change as you work together, which is normal and expected. This is simply the starting place.
There are several ways you can use this tool:
- Coach and parent use it as a discussion tool to help the parent reflect on the three layers of goals and how all of them are important. It may be easiest for a parent to identify goals for their children, but hardest to do for themselves. Help them reflect on how all three goals tie together and support the overall well-being of the family. For example, if the parent has a goal of returning to school, but is concerned that it will negatively impact the children because she/he will be less available to them, be sure to help her/him understand how this goal helps the family in the long term.
- Discuss the tool, and ask that the parent complete it at home with the family, and bring it back to the next meeting.
- The parent’s responses can help you understand their priority areas and inform goal setting.
Below is a PDF you can print, download or view full screen. See the toolbar at the top of the PDF for these various options. If you view in full screen, to get back to the normal page view, click the toggle in the toolbar at the bottom of the PDF.
My-Hopes-and-DreamsThe Prosperity Agenda provides these resources as the designated national administrator of Family-Centered Coaching.