If you want your child to read Caesar’s Gallic Wars in Latin, translate Virgil’s Aeneid, recognize works of art by the masters, and speak eloquently and persuasively, how do you get there? That’s the question Leigh Bortins, creator and founder of Classical Conversations, was asking herself when her own sons were young.

Her answer to her own question was to create a high school curriculum based on pertinent knowledge and skill across several subjects, and then work backward to kindergarten in order to build upon knowledge and skill year by year until the goals are reached.

That’s why I hear five year olds chanting “o, s, t, mus, tis, nt” and “a, ae, ae, am, a, ae, arum, is, as is” on Tuesdays when I drop Kayla off at CC or help out in the nursery. Even though they don’t know exactly what the meaning is behind their catchy songs, these little ones are doing something that will serve them well in high school: memorizing the Latin verb conjugations and noun declensions. It causes me to giggle in amazement.

In kindergarten it’s an oral presentation on their favorite stuffed animal or family vacation. In 9th grade it’s a public policy debate on the death penalty.

In third grade it’s identifying the parts of an orchestra and listening to great composers. In 10th grade it’s a whole course on Western Cultural History, a trip to the symphony, and recognizing the greatest works of 12 composers by ear.

Mrs. Bortins began with the end in mind.

She had a long-view objectives for her own children which now serves over 100,000 children all over the world.

CEOs cast vision. Teachers work toward grade level goals. Pilots have destinations.

Mothers are called and equipped to have visions, goals, and destinations for their children.

Remember…children are like arrows, they are to be nurtured, trained, and taught diligently. See yesterday’s long list of verses.

Here’s a good definition of a vision statement:

A vision statement serves as the anchor of any institution. Aside from expressing your aspirations and dreams for your company, it also provides the framework for all strategic planning. Ultimately it answers the question, “where do we want to go?”

Having vision serves as an…

anchor

a framework

a map to the destination

Have you ever worked under a supervisor or organization that lacked vision?

It’s frustrating to say the least.

Just ask my son Kory, who just started working for a large company in Austin, TX. He calls at least once a week to vent frustrations over his manager and the lack of direction she has for her team. It leads to a lack of unity, morale, and growth. Kory has big dreams and big ideas for how things could run more effectively and efficiently. He wants to grow as a professional and he wants the same thing for his colleagues, but that kind of healthy vision is not cast or maintained by the boss.Here’s another funny and recent story about Kory. He sent me a text message last week which I couldn’t open right away, but I could see the first few words: “Thank you for making us…”

Thinking it was wedding related, I guessed that it would say “Thank you for making us get pre-marital counseling through our church,” and some explanation of where they are in that process. But what it actually said was:

“Thank you for making us learn how to type. I can legitimately type like 40wpm faster than my co-workers. Mavis Beacon came in clutch.”

It made me laugh. Evidently, I at least had some keyboarding vision for my kids.

And can I just tell you how difficult sticking to that vision was?

If you’ve ever done one of those CD-ROM or online typing programs (or any educational program), then you know there are two parts: lessons and games. The games reinforce the typing skills, of course, but the lessons are crucial. You can imagine what happens. No child wants to do a lesson after they’ve been exposed to the games. The lessons are boring sentences and timed tests; the games have colorful creatures and fun music.

It takes a mom with some “typing vision” and determination to require lessons and not cave to all of the complaining.

The reward?

Your children will (ok, might) rise up and bless your typing demands on their life via text message.

Better than that?

An adult child who is a capable and efficient professional. (Not to mention grateful.)When I asked the moms in my breakout session what their child’s vision and long-view plan for their own lives was, these were some of the responses:

Work at Target.

Play for the NFL.

Eat fruit snacks.

Watch a screen.

Yep, pretty much.

I think it goes without saying that children don’t have very healthy long-term goals for themselves. Not that’s there’s anything inherently wrong with any of those things, and not that children have no interests that we should cultivate, but I think you get the picture. They need someone else casting and maintaining vision for them for much of their childhood. Mothers, as created stewards and lifegivers are uniquely called to be that person. (Dad’s too, but this is a post for moms.)

Honestly, in the long run, I think they become frustrated without our vision and requirements. Can you imagine a 5th grade class whose teacher had no vision, required no class work, gave in every time someone complained? Can you picture a large non-profit organization without a purpose or end-goal?

God has vision for His children. He has a goal in mind for us: Christlikeness, sanctification, maturity. And everything that He ordains or allows, He uses toward these goals. And Philippians says that He’ll complete the good work He started in us.

Why? Because He wants and knows what is best for us. He knows what will cause us to thrive.

Children don’t know what is best for them. They don’t even know what they like and dislike really.

I think He wants us to model our parenting after His.

Part of my own vision for my kids had to do with what their minds were filled with when they were young. It caused me to put limits on what and how much they watched on a screen. When they did watch TV (no iPads or laptops or Netflix back then-whew!) it was Sounder, or The Absent-Minded Professor, or Swiss Family Robinson, or The Music Man. (And those were “old” even back then.)

They LOVED The Music Man and had all the lines and songs memorized. When they were about 8, 6, and 3 the stage production of The Music Man came to our local university. I bought tickets for our whole family, knowing my kids would just love the experience, but another “vision” I had for my kids was that they learn to dress appropriately for certain situations. So, I told the boys to put on khaki pants and collared shirts.

You would have thought I had put them in some sort of torture chamber. There was writhing, complaining, weeping, and gnashing of teeth. They yelled over and over, “WE DON”T WANT TO GO!”

I wanted to give in, but the tickets were expensive, so I pressed on in spite of their many protests and tears. Robert had to back out for some reason, so my trusty collegiate babysitter, Laura, came with me to help with the kids. (Laura has three kids of her own now.) I was pretty deflated by the time we arrived.

We had third row seats. We could see the actors’ tiny microphones and the beads of sweat dripping down their faces through their heavy makeup. It was just what we’d watched over and over again on a screen at home, but with real people right before our eyes. We could almost reach out and touch them. It was pretty amazing, but I wasn’t sure what my kids thought.

At intermission, we took a bathroom break. While waiting in line in the hallway, Kory looked up at me with wide eyes and said, “Mom, this is the BEST thing I have ever done!”

He loved it. They all loved it. And no one died from wearing khaki pants.

I have never forgotten that small moment in time. I think it’s because God used it to show me that I need not second guess myself in the face of my kids complaints. (I often did, and still do.) He used it to give me confidence in the vision He was giving me for them.I really didn’t get specific about a long range vision for children and the incremental steps for getting there, but maybe I will tomorrow. It won’t be about reading the Gallic Wars in Latin, I promise, but maybe we can think through hopes and goals for each stage of childhood. What do we want them to know? Experience? Read? Accomplish? Be able to do?

Vision:

an anchor

a framework

a map to the destination

Hopefully, if you weren’t already naturally inclined to be a visionary on behalf of your kids, you’re getting excited about it now.

Moms, I hope you’ll trust God to weave together your call to be a lifegiver and steward on behalf of your kids. They need you. And don’t lose heart. As with all of the most difficult callings and occupations, they are also the most rewarding.