Family Goals Circa 1997

Here are the goals I wrote for our family in 1997. Still apply!

God Bless,
Cindy

GOALS OF OUR FAMILY AND EDUCATIONAL LIFE 12/12/97

1. To focus on relationships first, with God, family and others.

2. To create and life a family lifestyle of open communication, respect and love.

3. To foster a love of learning, reading, creating and discovering.

4. To involve our children in our lives, life interests and philosophy and world view to give them a model for their own discernment and decision-making.

5. To provide a wide range of opportunities for our children to learn about the world and
to make available rich resources (tools, nature guides, educational games, etc.) as well as “real” family experiences (building projects, pets, outside areas, etc.) instead of providing a sterile lifestyle devoid of such things.

6, To help our children find and nurture their own true interests in life and help them “narrow” their paths as they grow older, to aid them in finding their eventual vocation. (So they might have a clue of their potential life calling by 18 years old, or thereabouts)

7. Educational Style: Live and ‘rich’ lifestyle and nurture the childrens’ interests. Provide lots of good books, and tools for discovery. Build the fundamentals (reading, writing, math) around the interest areas and work on those as the need or desire occurs. Integrate other disciplines (history, social studies, science, etc.) into daily life activities instead of treating as subjects. Look for clues of what the kids enjoy (from what subjects to liking to take a spelling test to make an ‘A’) and feed their fire. Draw from Charlotte Mason, Wisdom’s Way of Learning, Classical Method.

8. Life Skills: Provide discipline through family responsibilities, including chores, group projects, community service, money management, manners, etc. Model behavior and focus on family life and associate responsibilities. Train to take over more and more responsibilities in all areas as growing older. Incorporate other life skills in daily life as well, including: thinking and logic skills, music, art and other individual gifts.
9. To provide our children with a firm family foundation from which to view the world and to provide them a stable place in which to grow and eventually jump off from as they start their own families.