I took my son to the RV Expo at the World Trade Center in Boston on Saturday.  I have this retirement dream – an NFL season-long trip around the continental United States in a big-ass Winnebago.  The way I’ve got it planned is that we’d go to every Monday Night Football game for an entire season, no matter the city.  So, our tour of America would be guided by Roger Goodell’s foresight and wisdom.  The NFL schedule is released in May each year, so when the time eventually comes, we will have four months to plan out our trip.  We also recognize that we might also have to slip in a few Thursday and Sunday Night games. 

Oddly, I’ve never been a fan of camping—however, I’m a massive fan of giant RVs.  In all seriousness, though, would it be considered camping to be in a vehicle equipped with a kitchen, bathroom, shower, oven, heat, air conditioning, and Casper mattresses?  Seems to me to be more of a Marriot Residence Inn on wheels.  Providing the most flexible itinerary and good scheduling – opportunities for friends to join in for whatever portions of the journey they can.  And now that my son is about the biggest football fan there is, we started having legitimate conversations about this trip of a lifetime, already going back and forth over who will do the driving.

On Saturday, we hopped from camper to camper, climbing into the bunks, and even caught a little of the Knicks game in one of them.  Then, we found an exhibit that featured RVs that one can rent for a short weekend trip or as long as a month (for those who have the time).  My son was like, “Dad, let’s get one this summer!”  I thought, hmm…a test run?  Where would one take one of these things for a short duration of time?  The woods?  He knows I don’t like bugs, but…maybe.  As much as I hate bugs, there is something more powerful than our likes and dislikes when it comes to the excitement of our littles.  So, I am likely to be investing heavily in Maximum Strength Off.

The best part of the Expo was that we talked a lot that day about our hopes, goals, and dreams.  I know that the 12-year-old me would never listen to my elders about planning for the future or setting a timeline for amazing, unforgettable experiences.  I think I know why this is.  Perhaps it is that as we age, the discouragements we face in our lives add up.  In the rearview mirror, this litter is everywhere – whether it be a let down by a friend, a partner, the system, caregivers, the remnants of a health condition, or even a con.  We want to look forward to something special – something great and let’s face it, that is really hard to do when it seems that for whatever it is that you have, there is someone or some force that simply wants to take it from you. 

And the more it hurts, the more we pine for that time and place.  Think of this the next time you get into an Uber.  Do you think the driver wants to drive you to the restaurant you are going to, or would he rather be driving elsewhere without you in his back seat?  For me, it is driving to a destination of my own choosing, again and again, and again, week after week, for a whole season – with my son and some others.  Hell, maybe there can be a convoy of these things and a whole bunch of people experiencing this all together.

We gotta have goals.  We gotta have dreams.  Putting Sammy, Eddy, Michael Anthony, and Alex aside here – not Van Halen’s kind of Dreams.  Not Fleetwood Mac’s, and not the Cranberries either.  Although they are all great dreams songs – this blog is more Allman Brothers than any of those.  This Southern Rock gem is exactly what I am writing about here. 

And connecting this to schools – ABSOLUTELY, teaching our children to focus on life goals is invaluable to their development. When children learn to set and work towards goals, they acquire a sense of purpose and direction that transcends the classroom. This forward-thinking mindset encourages them to see beyond the immediate gratification of short-term desires, fostering a deeper understanding of the importance of commitment and perseverance. By learning to set goals, whether academic, personal, or related to extracurricular interests, children develop a framework for decision-making that guides them in making choices aligned with their aspirations. This approach prepares them for future challenges and instills a sense of responsibility and self-discipline, crucial traits for personal growth and success.

This focus on goal setting directly and positively impacts their performance as learners in school. When children are guided to align their academic work with their life goals, they are more likely to engage deeply with their studies. They begin to view education not just as a task or a requirement but as a stepping stone toward achieving their dreams. This perspective shift can dramatically improve their motivation, concentration, and enthusiasm for learning. Additionally, goal-oriented students often develop better time management and organizational skills, making their studies more efficient and effective. Ultimately, by instilling the value of goal setting in our children, we equip them with a powerful tool that enhances their learning journey and shapes them into well-rounded, ambitious individuals ready to face the world's challenges.