What are the 20 Healthy Habits of Highly Effective Children?

We should teach our kids good habits from a very young age because they carry these qualities for life. You need to set a good example as your children will follow whatever you do. Habits become second nature with regular practice. 

1)Practice what you preach - Try being encouraging and affectionate while teaching your child good habits. Good habits take a child a long way. Good mannered children grow up to be good mannered adults.

2)   Teach your child to eat healthy – explain to your child the advantages of eating healthy at a very young age and they will follow that for life and it will benefit them in the long run.

3)    Teach kids about cleanliness – teach them about keeping their surroundings clean not just their room but the environment. They should be taught not to litter.

4)    Teach them how to value money – give children pocket money and teach them save it as use it wisely. Let them make purchases with their pocket money and teach them not to overspend.

5)   Teach them about punctuality – teach them the importance of time and how we need to plan ahead of time so that we reach our destination in time. Be on time for everything whether it is school, a birthday or a doctor’s appointment.

6)     Teach them how to be kind and courteous – your child should learn how to say thank you, sorry and please. They should know how to respect elders. They should not interrupt an adult and wait for their turn to speak. They should not grow up feeling entitled but humble. They should learn to care for their siblings.

7)     Sleeping on time – they should learn that they need to sleep and explain the reason to them as well. Children need to follow a strict sleep schedule to replenish their energies so that wake up feeling fresh and rejuvenated for the next day.

8)   Learning to share – teach your kids the importance of sharing so that they don’t grow up being self centered. Read them morale stories which teaches them how to share.

9)   Read every day – the habit of reading is very important even when you are an adult because it ensures that you are always learning something new every day.

10)   Teaching them to respect everyone around them – they should respect all the people around them – the help at home, the newspaper man, the vegetable seller etc.

11)   Working hard – we need to teach kids that there are no short cuts in life and harwork always gives you results. It may seem slow and boring at first but in the long run it is really helpful.

12)    Maintaining hygiene- bathing everyday and washing hand before every meal.

13)  Teaching them not to bully - we need to communicate to our child that bullying is not acceptable, in both cases whether your child is bullying or being bullied. Communication is the best during this period.

14)  Treating everyone as equal – they need to be told that everyone is equal whether someone is from a low socio-economic group or affluent.

15)   Teach them not to harm birds, animal or any life form – teach them to be gentle and cruel to every living being.

16)   Doing their own chores – it is a great life skill, teaches them to be responsible adults.

17)    Teach them not to waste food – tell them there is someone less fortunate out there who cannot afford even what they are wasting.

18)   Teach them to be well turned out and greet their elders and peers – they need to keep their nails clipped and hair clean, clothes should be ironed and shoes polished. They need to greet whoever they meet with a” good morning” or a “good evening.”

19)    Teach them the importance of being social – and that they should find good company and learn good things from people.

20)     Teach them to say no to drugs, cigarettes and alcohol – they should know right from wrong and so that they can make an educated choice when they are adults.

We need to keep communicating to our children. There are innumerable times when my son is so absent minded that he forgets to wish anyone he meets and I have to keep reminding but one day this will become a habit and will come to him naturally. I make it a point that I am consistent and replicate the same behavior. I can’t expect my child to greet others if I don’t do so myself. We have to repeatedly keep telling them and not to get disheartened and most of all be patient with them.

Early bedtime routine needs to be inculcated early because once the kids are older, they will resist any kind of new routines – Reema Sahay