For the parents of young kids, it may feel like an uphill battle to inculcate healthy habits and good manners in them. Nonetheless, these are essential lessons that cannot be missed. The importance of good habits lies in their future personality. So, you should be patient in leading them toward the right path.
What Are Good Habits?
Establishing good habits in your children can help you improve their lives. Bad habits can lead them away from a good life, happiness, and even their goals. However, by fostering good habits for children, you can teach them how to get closer to success and happiness. Investing in your children’s development will help them become the best version of themselves. So, what are good habits? They are positive behaviours that you keep practising. For example, exercising, meditation or mindfulness, brushing teeth, etc.
Parents will always be the guiding light for children. They are a source of reference for their children. Children tend to pick up habits in the early stages of their lives. They start to mimic their parent’s behavior and actions as they grow. Hence, as a parent, you are a role model for your child, and you will inevitably transfer your habits to them. This is why you must teach your children how to differentiate between good and bad habits and choose the good ones.
Good Habits for Kids
If you are looking for a good habits list because you do not know where to start, here you go! We have outlined ten good habits for kids and more:
1. Eating Healthy
Kids are quickly excited by fast food, chips, chocolates, biscuits, sweets, etc. If you involve them in the food prep process and help them learn that healthy food can taste good, they can develop good eating habits. You can jointly make healthy versions of noodles, pizzas, pasta, desserts, and more. You can encourage better eating habits by making food more colourful for them. For example, you can make one rainbow-coloured food per day for the entire week. Not only would you be able to ensure that your child is eating healthy, but they would also have fun while eating. You can set an example by eating regular, well-balanced meals.
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2. Engaging in Physical Activity
While allowing your children to watch a little TV every day is fine, going on binge fests is not. They must engage in hobbies and extracurricular activities so that they don’t fall into a sedentary lifestyle. You can encourage them to get some physical activity by walking, playing outdoors or exercising. You could plan a family activity that is fun for your kid. Educate them about the need to develop different skills and hobbies. Physical activity can help them avoid sleeping issues, obesity, and stress.
3. Focus on Food-Nutrition Labels
Most people grow up not understanding the importance of nutrition. Most people do not understand food and anatomy well enough to make good food decisions. You should teach your children how to read food labels. Once they get into this habit, encourage them to understand the nutritional value of food.
If you understand essential nutrition, you can explain concepts such as saturated and unsaturated fats, sugar, calories, and carbs to your kids. You can start by making them read the vital information provided on the nutrition labels of their favourite packaged foods. You can encourage them to make a habit of reading the labels, analysing the nutritional value, and deciding whether it is worth eating. Once in a while, a cheat meal is perfectly okay. But you must help them develop healthy habits for their lives in the long run.
4. Enjoy Family Meal Time
We know how hectic life can get. That leaves us with almost no time to spend with our families. Having a busy schedule could cost us time with our children. However, spending time with your kids and hearing their stories and problems is important. Make a ritual of sitting together at dinner time. You can discuss things such as how their day was, if they have anything to share, etc. Being able to share your views with them will have a lasting impact on them. They will feel more comfortable in the family and even pick up on good eating habits. This is a simple way through which you can strengthen family bonds.
5. Staying Hydrated
Many kids love to drink soda and fizzy drinks. While drinking it in moderation now and then is fine, it must not become a daily habit. You must encourage them to drink water and stay hydrated. You can explain to them how excessive sugar damages the body and how water is vital to our functioning. If they understand how water helps our bodies, they will surely do their best to stay hydrated and healthy.
6. Cleaning Up Their Room
You must teach cleanliness and hygiene right from the beginning. You can keep an organised space/ room for them. After they finish playing or studying, you can encourage and reward them for cleaning up and putting things away. You must also practice what you preach. Keep your own space organised and clean. If they struggle to do it themselves, you can always lend them a helping hand in tidying up the room. If you do this with them daily, they will make a habit of it themselves and will soon organise their things themselves.
7. Financial Literacy and Money Responsibility
Many young adults lack financial literacy because it is not taught in school. In most cases, it is not taught by the family either. When your child is old enough to use the money themselves, you can start teaching them the value of money. You can encourage them to start saving up money they receive as gifts. You can even encourage them to save their pocket money in piggy banks. Teach them how to budget and manage their expenses. Once they are older, teach them how to open a bank account, write a cheque, invest, etc. They will require these skills as they enter adulthood.
8. Sharing and Selflessness
The mark of a good human is generosity and selflessness. Children should understand the value of different things and know when to share them with others. Others may not be as privileged. You must also teach them how to share intangible things such as feelings, emotions, and stories. Children initially share these things with their family (parents, siblings, grandparents, cousins, etc.). The habit of sharing and empathy will help them become better people. This is one of the essential good habits for kids.
9. No Littering in Public Spaces
Your children must grow up to be civilised and responsible citizens. They should understand that littering is not okay, especially in public spaces. Waste must always be discarded in the trash. It would be even better if you taught them how to distinguish between different types of waste so that proper recycling may occur. Not littering is a bare minimum for being a good person. If you do not litter, they will learn not to litter either. Always look for trash cans in public; if you can’t find one, keep it on you until you find a dustbin. You could even wait till you get home and dispose of all the trash from the day.
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10. Be Kind and Courteous
There is not a single person on earth who deserves to be treated with kindness and compassion. We must teach our children to be courteous to everyone. Your kids should respect all kinds of people irrespective of age, gender, sexual orientation, or gender identity. Even if they are not on the best terms with someone, they should be polite and keep a distance. They should be cordial with everyone and deal with matters calmly. Such qualities define them as a person. They will remain with them throughout their life. Other people will always appreciate them if they are kind and respectful. This starts by treating your children with respect. They will also pick up this habit.
11. Be Objective and Unbiased
Children are not born with biases and prejudices. They learn this from the adults around them, such as parents and teachers. The values they pick up are an indicator of their social conditioning. As a parent, you are responsible for teaching them to be open-minded and unbiased. They should know discrimination is wrong. If you can be open with them and teach them to accept themselves, they will also be more accepting of others. Your child must treat all people equally irrespective of sex, gender, wealth, etc. They should be open to being friends with people of different religions, castes, economic backgrounds, gender identity, etc.
12. Protecting Animals and Birds
Every living being has a purpose on this earth. Some children love animals, while some are scared of them. No matter how they feel towards animals, they should protect them. Animals and birds have their own ways of living and communicating. Children should differentiate between friendly animals and the ones they must keep their distance from. Teach them how to deal with friendly ones and how to stay away from dangerous ones. It might be helpful to watch animal documentaries with them.
13. Exercising Regularly
Physical activity is essential for everyone. Set some time out for you and your family to engage in physical activity together, such as walking, swimming, playing some sports, etc. You can also go to a dance class or yoga class together. Exercise will be great for everyone. Try to start them off early. It’s never too early to have some extra-curricular activities. They might enjoy playing certain sports or dancing. Enrolling them in classes is a great way to ensure your kids have a healthy lifestyle. Such classes will also teach them essential life lessons such as sportsmanship, confidence, etc.
14. No Harassing or Bullying
Criticism or harsh words can deeply hurt a child. Children do not fully understand their own emotions or how they can hurt others. Parents must keep a lookout for the behaviour of their children. Ensure they are not bullies or hurting other children. They should also learn how harmful gossip is and how painful rumours can be to a person. Unnecessary teasing or bullying someone for fun is a despicable thing. You should set an example by never speaking ill of someone else in front of your kids.
15. Honesty is the Best Policy
Being open and accepting of your kids will help them be more honest with you and come to you in their times of need. Honesty is a fundamental virtue that must be ingrained in them from a young age. As a parent, your words and actions heavily influence them. Always be honest with them, have open dialogues and discussions, and motivate them to speak the truth no matter how difficult it is.
16. Patience and Perseverance
Considering how hectic and stressful this world can be, we are all looking for peace. Inculcate the value of patience in them right from the get-go. You can help them be calmer and to approach different situations in a level-headed manner. They should be able to wait their turn and go at their own pace. Encourage them to pick up hobbies such as gardening, or cooking, which require patience.
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17. Be Grateful
Help your children understand the good things in their life, big or small, and teach them how to be grateful for them. Those who enjoy privilege should definitely be grateful for all they have. You can cultivate different habits for gratitude, such as praying, thanking people, contributing back to society, etc. If you do these things yourself, your child is sure to follow.
18. Washing Hands
Considering the times we are in, washing hands is so important. They should definitely learn how to wash their hands before and after meals. Help them understand that they could fall ill if they don’t wash their hands properly. You must also encourage them to wash their hands after playing outside (especially if they played with sand or mud). Ensure they use dry towels or tissues and only an antibacterial handwash.
19. Brushing Twice
Oral hygiene is so important, especially in the long run. You must teach your children how to take care of their teeth right from early childhood. These habits will stay with them throughout life. Sometimes kids get lazy and do not brush their teeth twice a day. However, it should not be taken lightly. Poor oral hygiene can result in cavities and gum disease. You can help them establish this habit by brushing your teeth with them. Show them the proper way of brushing. They should brush every day, gargle after meals, floss their teeth, clean the tongue with a tongue cleaner and not share their toothbrush.
20. Cleaning Their Ears
We all know how important ears are. They are one of the most important organs of the body. Forgetting to clean one’s ears can lead to discomfort or pain. You should take care of your kids' ears right from infancy and then teach them how to clean their ears as they grow older. The outer ear can be cleaned with water and wiped with a clean and dry cloth. Do this daily.
What Is the Importance of Good Habits in Kids?
Once a habit is established, it is not easy to break. The sooner we build healthy and good habits, the easier it will be for kids to maintain them and live good life. For example, good eating habits enable nutrients to help in brain development. Good sleeping habits can aid them in stress and mental health management. If good habits are the norm, it becomes hard to pick up bad habits that lead to poor mental health or illness.
You must remember how your actions and words influence your child. You are their role model. If you have unhealthy habits such as drinking excessively or smoking, they are sure to pick it up at some point in their life. However, if you practice what you preach, they will follow in your stead. If you eat a healthy diet, exercise, and show gratitude, they will learn to do the same. The importance of good habits is that they will help your child have a better life.
Summing Up on Good Habits for Kids
Building good habits is tied to what kind of person you are. Children should grow up to be kind and healthy individuals. As a parent, you are responsible for ensuring that your child is happy and safe. You must care for them in every sense, including their personal character development. You are the one who will shape their future. Hence, you should inculcate good habits for kids.
