One of the things I wrote in my 2025 vision was to raise the standards in our home - for homeschooling, for housework, and for our daily routines. But I didn’t want to just be about me pushing harder. I wanted the kids to come with me.

This past week we had a breakthrough, and it actually worked without all the meltdowns and fights that usually come when we raise the expectations.

Here are a few things that stood out:

• Vision matters. Creating it prayerfully with God changes everything.

• Resistance is real. It’s not just the kids. I feel it too.

• Stories help. A family movie gave us a picture of what raising the bar could look like.

• We problem-solved. When things didn’t go well, we found a better way together.

Now, when I ask them to do something hard - like extra math or a new chore - we talk about it like high jumping. Nervous at first, but exciting. Sometimes you knock the bar over, but then you try again. And it feels so good when you finally clear it.

So whether it’s raising the bar in your own home, finding a metaphor that clicks with your kids, or just creating your vision for the year ahead, I hope this story gives you encouragement for your own journey.