Successful organizations develop Vision Statements in order to ensure that they intentionally invest their best resources toward the best end goals. They know it is wise to “Begin with the end in mind.”
This is important as parents too. It’s wise to ask yourself, “What is the best end goal with our kids?” and make intentional parenting decisions and priorities of your time and finances to try to facilitate that vision.
Because we aren’t really raising children. We are raising adults. What kind of adults would you like them to be?
A few worthy vision statements for parents of future-adults to consider:
- Faithful disciples of Jesus
- Kind and respectful human beings
- Hard-working stewards of God’s world
- Curious, life-long learners
- Strong and healthy people inside and out
Those are the kinds of humans the world desperately needs. But if we look honestly at where the culture nudges us to spend our time and money, the vision often seems to be people who tirelessly pursue a sport until an injury sidelines them, people who endlessly scroll TikTok and YouTube, people addicted to the latest trends at Temu, Shein and Amazon. None of us want that to be the end goal for our children—yet those are often the priorities quietly shaping our family life.
So let me ask: do you have a family vision statement? If not, now is a perfect time to craft one. Begin with the end in mind—and then walk with purpose toward it. Your future adults will thank you.
“Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk—not as unwise people but as wise—making the most of the time, because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:15-16).