What is a parenting vision?
I couldn’t think of a better way to define a parenting vision than using the STAR acronym, making it easier for you to understand and remember.
S – Strategic Approach:
Think of a parenting vision as your secret strategic weapon. It’s all about making smart decisions and taking actions that align with your family values and long-term goals.
The Strategic Approach speaks to the Deliberate, Thoughtful, Intentional, and Purposeful approach to parenting.
I think this is the best place to remember the scripture that says – A simple man believes anything but a prudent man gives thought to his steps. Proverbs 14.
Parenting is just one of those roles that demands prudence.
What does Prudence mean?
It means showing care or thought for the future.
Maybe to help you better understand it and rub it in, let’s look at what the opposite of this looks like. In the absence of prudence, we have
haphazard
random
unplanned
unsystematic
Disorganized Parenting.
So the choice is yours, and I am not talking about the wish, I am talking about an active choice.
So please make the right choice.
So if you choose to be strategic, you choosing to think through how you will handle
- Discipline
- Screen Time Limits:
- Education Choices.
- Socialization
- Holistic development of the child
In the absence of Strategy, you make Impulsive random decisions throughout the child’s development.
And there is just plenty of trial & error in your parenting .
T – Tailored to Individual Styles:
Every family has its vibe, right? There are different types of parenting styles. I am not gonna get into them now but you can check this article.
So when you intentionally craft your parenting vision you also ensure that it fits with your preferred style of parenting.
For instance, if part of your parenting vision is to raise an independent and adventurous child, practicing an authoritarian style, characterized by strict rules and punishment in a parent-driven relationship, would contradict that vision.
This vision demands that you choose a parenting style that allows room for mistakes and encourages decision-making skills in your child.
A – All-Inclusive:
This strategic approach, tailored to your parenting style, is All-Inclusive. It’s not just about one aspect; it’s about nurturing your child’s emotional, physical, and mental growth in a wholesome way.
It encompasses how you will handle communication, setting boundaries, life skills, socialization, academics, discipline, health, and much more. This comprehensive parenting vision ensures that every detail of your child’s development is taken care of, and every decision is well thought out.
It’s a detailed roadmap for your child’s development.
It ensures a balanced and thoughtful approach to their growth and well-being.
R – Roadmap for Journey:
Think of your parenting vision as a GPS for your mom or dad’s journey. It gives you directions, keeps you on track, and helps you navigate the twists and turns of parenting with confidence. With a solid vision, you’re not lost—you’re leading the way to awesome child development milestones.
Parents always complain about parenting not having a manual. and yes it does not have a manual, and I have also screamed at one point that I wish I had a manual.
A well-thought-out vision can be that manual, roadmap, or GPS that enhances your decision-making even during the toughest of times, keeps you calm during the storm, and gives you confidence when everyone else is shaking in their boots.
With this roadmap, the experience is calm and confident parenting.
The absence of a roadmap results in anxious haphazard parenting.
Life needs a navigation system.
So life in whatever way or form is meant to be navigated through a form of blue blueprint :
Drivers have a GPS: GPS helps you chart your course from point A to point B. Vision guides you through the various decisions and challenges of parenthood.
Architects use blueprints
Companies & Organizations have visions & missions to set them on the right course
What do parents have? Parents need to craft their own blueprint.
Parenting Blueprint is a roadmap, a framework (set of principles that a parent uses to navigate the journey of raising their child).
Why do I need one
1. Because you are a parent
You are a caregiver, nurturer, protector, guardian, provider, mentor, and guide.
These are roles that need a strategy, these are roles that need a roadmap.
2. Bring a sense of Purpose into parenting
It makes parenting purposeful. It makes it meaningful because there is a goal in mind and the goal is clear.
Even during dark days you just lift your eyes to see beyond where you are and you get strengthened.
It saves you from wandering within parenthood streets.
3. Keep you organized
It gives you a framework for evaluating options and prioritizing tasks or actions.
It helps you streamline your efforts, and optimize your resources.
3. It transforms you into a better person.
It facilitates your personal growth and development as a parent
It will demand that you grow
You become better and
You do better
With this kind of growth & development comes the confidence to challenge conventional norms
The empowered parents transcend fear of judgment or societal expectations, prioritizing their child’s well-being and individual growth above conformity,
Through the transformative journey guided by the parenting vision, parents evolve from uncertainty to mastery, equipped with the knowledge, skills, and conviction to navigate the complexities of parenthood with grace and resilience.
4. Helps measure progress and adapt strategies for success.
It gives you a standard to measure your parenting against
And because you are aiming at something then you can measure progress
It enables you to adjust the course and refine strategies if need be.
It helps you harness the power of measuring results and adaption
Conclusion
This vision encompasses various aspects of parenting, including discipline, education, emotional support, values, beliefs, traits, soft skills, and overall upbringing. It’s unique to each parent or mother.
Just as architects create blueprints before constructing a building, parents develop a parenting vision to outline their goals, aspirations, and the kind of environment they want to create for their child to grow and thrive in.
It serves as a reference point when making decisions about discipline, education, activities, and other aspects of raising a child.
This blueprint serves as a guide for laying the foundation of strong character traits, ethical principles, and a sense of purpose in their children’s lives.
We are on a mission of flipping the negative narrative about men , one boy at a time , starting with the boy under our care. Raising good men is a goal and having a parenting vision equips you to achieve that.
