I think the same can be said about parenting.
Having our goals and ideals clearly defined will help parents become more intentional with how they are raising their children.
This is no small matter.
Our children are, after all, the future.
What does a Mission Statement have to do with Parenting?
Mission statements are designed to help companies stay on track with the goals and values they are working toward.
If we think of the family as a form of a company, or as a unit that is attempting to work together for the greater good, it isn't hard to understand why a mission statement may be beneficial.
If you ever feel like you are floating (or just barely staying above water) or that you default to a parenting style you don't feel is effective, you will definitely benefit from a mission statement.
Writing a detailed mission statement will enable you to more adeptly point your family in the direction you intend for it, as well helping you narrow down where your time, energy, and resources are best spent.
If this is something you are interested in working toward with your own family, please read on. To get my full workbook, which will help you through the process of writing your own mission statement, click here.
Here are my top five reasons having a mission statement will effectively guide your parenting.
1. Peace
I wanted to mention this one first because this is how I feel most affected when Tharin and I are intentionally parenting.
When we are really deliberate about the decisions we make regarding our kids, and when we are careful to align these decisions with our values and beliefs about raising our children, this is when I feel most at peace.
Being intentional allows me to respond with confidence and calm, regardless of the attitudes and reactions of the kids and regardless of the situation.
This is a huge deal.
No, this doesn't mean I always get it right. But it does mean I know what to do when I feel myself getting off-course.
2. Action Plan
I remember my parents planning this big trip across Canada when I was a kid. They spent hours online deciding what we would stop to see and do along the way, where we would stay, budgeting, and talking to friends of ours who had done a similar trip.
The end result was an unforgettable trip.
However you choose to raise your kids, they will likely turn out to be functioning adults in the end. Similarly, if my parents had piled us all in the van and started driving, we would have ended up somewhere fun eventually.
But the budgeting and the packing and the planning made it a much less stressful experience overall while leaving plenty of room for spontaneity, surprises, and extra adventures along the way.
Having a concise strategy for your parenting will help you to know what is important - the must-see sights and necessary rest stops along the way, allowing you to plan ahead and make balanced decisions.
3. Correction
There are times in parenting when we are all forced to stand back and consider if what we were doing is truly working for our kids.
This was true for us when Jerome was having these huge emotional explosions, which he still has, that we did not feel we were dealing with in a respectful and fruitful way.
These moments with him would leave me feeling completely robbed of peace.
But once Tharin and I were able to step back and reevaluate our values, we were able to come to a place of understanding and set ourselves up for success in our attitude toward our son.
This ability to evaluate and improve is invaluable to any successful company, as it encourages real and lasting growth, propelling the entire unit toward success.
4. Communication
Knowing your mission statement helps those who are working for the common goal, in this case, the parents who are serving the children as best they can, develop more open and realistic lines of communication.
In my experience with my husband Tharin, knowing our goals and values together provides a rich backdrop for communication, discussion, and observations which help us remain on the same page.
For example, because we have discussed our parenting intentions to such length together, when something happens with the kids we are able to share why we think it happened, what we might have done differently, and what we noticed about the people involved.
We feel so united in our purpose, which helps us to work collaboratively together - and that really is what raising children can be like, creating a collaborative work of art.
5. Self-Evaluation
Last of all, knowing what your best intentions are allows you to combat unhealthy guilt, which so many parents struggle with.
If you know what following your ideals looks like, you will hopefully be able to evaluate your parenting from a place of reality, dispelling guilt that is not founded, and allowing yourself to feel more freedom and confidence in your day-to-day life.
This will also help you to reevaluate your strategies and goals if you are, in fact, off-course, allowing that guilt and self-evaluation to do what it is intended for - lead you to a solution.
Check out my post on how to write a mission statement, or to get my free workbook.
If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact me. I would also love to hear any suggestions for posts you would like me to write about. And if you are interested in following along in our daily adventures, follow us on Instagram where I post daily.
God bless,
Olivia Fischer
But the budgeting and the packing and the planning made it a much less stressful experience overall while leaving plenty of room for spontaneity, surprises, and extra adventures along the way.
Having a concise strategy for your parenting will help you to know what is important - the must-see sights and necessary rest stops along the way, allowing you to plan ahead and make balanced decisions.
3. Correction
There are times in parenting when we are all forced to stand back and consider if what we were doing is truly working for our kids.
This was true for us when Jerome was having these huge emotional explosions, which he still has, that we did not feel we were dealing with in a respectful and fruitful way.
These moments with him would leave me feeling completely robbed of peace.
But once Tharin and I were able to step back and reevaluate our values, we were able to come to a place of understanding and set ourselves up for success in our attitude toward our son.
This ability to evaluate and improve is invaluable to any successful company, as it encourages real and lasting growth, propelling the entire unit toward success.
4. Communication
Knowing your mission statement helps those who are working for the common goal, in this case, the parents who are serving the children as best they can, develop more open and realistic lines of communication.
In my experience with my husband Tharin, knowing our goals and values together provides a rich backdrop for communication, discussion, and observations which help us remain on the same page.
For example, because we have discussed our parenting intentions to such length together, when something happens with the kids we are able to share why we think it happened, what we might have done differently, and what we noticed about the people involved.
We feel so united in our purpose, which helps us to work collaboratively together - and that really is what raising children can be like, creating a collaborative work of art.
5. Self-Evaluation
Last of all, knowing what your best intentions are allows you to combat unhealthy guilt, which so many parents struggle with.
If you know what following your ideals looks like, you will hopefully be able to evaluate your parenting from a place of reality, dispelling guilt that is not founded, and allowing yourself to feel more freedom and confidence in your day-to-day life.
This will also help you to reevaluate your strategies and goals if you are, in fact, off-course, allowing that guilt and self-evaluation to do what it is intended for - lead you to a solution.
Check out my post on how to write a mission statement, or to get my free workbook.
Thank you for following along on this new segment. I am really excited to see more and more parents, including myself, living a more intentional parenting lifestyle and more fully embracing the beautiful (and challenging) vocation that is parenthood.
If you want a more in-depth look at how to write your own parenting mission statement, click on the picture below and get started on your free workbook.
If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact me. I would also love to hear any suggestions for posts you would like me to write about. And if you are interested in following along in our daily adventures, follow us on Instagram where I post daily.
God bless,
Olivia Fischer
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