Train up a child…

Children Need Clear Direction

It has been said that those who fail to plan actually plan to fail. When children are allowed to aimlessly act as they want, they become confused, feel insecure, and accomplish very little.

Specific goals for children are important because they provide direction. It would seem that there are natural times in the year to set and review goals. One such time is at the beginning of a new year when there is much talk of making New Year’s resolutions. Another such time is the beginning of the summer vacation from school, and yet another time is at the beginning of the school year.

There is a difference between a resolution and a goal. A resolution carries the connotation of a promise. Resolutions are often broken and then forgotten. A goal, on the other hand, is not a promise to accomplish a certain thing, but rather a thought that an effort will be made to achieve a certain point. Goals are not as easily forgotten and no feeling of guilt need occur when they are not reached. Goals can be easily evaluated and reset.

We need to be honest with children in letting them know where they stand in their achievement both academically, socially, physically, and spiritually. These are the four areas in which a child needs to grow. We strive to help children become balanced in these areas. Sitting down and discussing these areas with children will reap great results as the children understand what is expected of them and see what needs to be done to fulfill those expectations.

I have been dismayed in my past school teaching experiences to find that not only students, but teachers as well, often do not know the results of tests that are required by the state. Just as we expect to know our condition when we visit a doctor, students, parents, and teachers have a right to know the status of a student academically. If we don’t know where we are, how can we know what we need to do to get where we should be. Likewise, there needs to be a clear understanding among parents of where a child is expected to be in achievement according to grade level. This information is vital in determining goals. Even though children and parents receive report cards, these report cards do not always show comparisons to the national norm.

It is only after clear, reachable goals have been set can plans be made to attain those goals. It is helpful to have both short-range and long-range goals. Breaking down long-range goals into “chunks” makes reaching them more possible.

Proverbs 29:18 tells us that, “Where there is no vision, the people perish: …” Children need a mental picture of the direction they are to go.