One of the most important things you can do as an adult is to develop good habits. Good habits are behaviors that help us live our lives smoothly and easily. The types of good habits we have will vary from person to person. However, one thing is common. As children we are surrounded by good habits, which we pass on to our own children.
For instance, in school it is always necessary to be on time. Children who are always late for school also create bad habits because they will have bad habits as adults as well. A bad habit in school is being late, which creates anxiety in the student. A good habit is completing your work on time. This is especially true for students that are on the honor roll. Honors are rewards for good work.
Another example of good habits is getting back to class on time. This habit is so common that most students don’t even remember to set their schedules early enough. In fact, most students get back to class because of other commitments, such as a new sports team, a new phone line, or some other reason. As adults, we also create good habits when we get out of the classroom. For example, many of us leave the classroom after class to get coffee or take a break. It is those quiet moments that we use to meditate and reflect.
We also have good habits in regard to getting ready for work and school. For example, if you have a family, you probably have a ritual for getting ready for school. If not, you need to discover what your family does to get ready and how you can duplicate that ritual. A great way to start is to set aside 15 minutes every morning and evening to go through your schedule and arrange your appointments.
Getting organized is another habit with many benefits; however, it can also be one of the more challenging habits to teach to kids. You can easily help your kids make the transition from being fidgety or messy to being neat and organized by making them understand the importance of keeping a daily schedule and sticking to it. Many parents find it helpful to show their kids good habits early on by creating a daily schedule or providing an example of a good morning routine.
Finally, one of the most important examples of good habits for kids is maintaining an open mind. Kids with open minds are able to accept new ideas and explore new possibilities. With open minds comes an ability to learn from mistakes and failures. One of the worst habits for kids is to let setbacks discourage them from trying again. So, encourage your kids to try again.