As the excitement of the new year slowly begins to dwindle and February is already in motion, those new habits and goals you planned for the year are really starting to kick off (hopefully :)).
Of course, you need to get all of your new year organization going and routines in line, but did you know that you could or should, be doing the same for your children?
Let’s think about it this way, everyone always says, and they’re right about this, that kids minds are like sponges, especially when they are moving through the early childhood years. This is true! And one of the quickest and strongest ways they learn is through visual modeling. That’s right! They are watching everything you’re doing.
So, when you’re prepping for your “new year, new me”… they’ll be right behind you watching every step of the way. Why not make this a little more intentional and include them in the process?
Well that’s exactly what we are going to do here. We are chatting about some of the important habits you as parents should be teaching and practicing with your children. And if you pick up an extra one that perhaps didn’t make your list, well maybe it’s time to add that one too.
1. Teach a Positive Daily Routine..Routine is Life!
First things first, and I don’t care what anyone has to say, but everyone needs to have a routine and everyone actually already does whether you recognize it or not. Routines do not specifically need to be a positive structured timeline of productivity. They can be watching tv until 2am, ordering takeout 4-5x a week, and not getting enough exercise. Yep that’s a routine too. And if your child is seeing that, that is what they are learning, that is what they will model.
So in hopes of creating a productive member of society, routines are critical in teaching your child how to move through their day in the most successful way possible. Another plus is that routines will help teach your child boundaries and will help taper those negative behaviors that can arise with a lack of routine. So you see, they are quite quite important.
If you find your household lacking in this area a bit, do not worry! I have a bunch of other posts that break down daily routines, morning routines, and night time routines for your child. You can find those listed right below.
The other thing to remember, is that a good productive routine, actually starts the night before and sets up the following day for success. I know this can sound a little tricky for kids, but I promise you it will help their day be more successful, your morning transitions will be smoother, and the more your child practices, the more it will influence their daily planning as they get older.
Also, do not forget, they are watching you. So if you are unplanned, chaotic and frazzled, they will be too. Positive routine practice is a must!
2. Teach How to Practice Healthy Boundaries
Next, boundary teaching is key. I know this can seem unnecessary in the early childhood years but let me explain. It is vastly important to set positive boundary limits with your children. For example, means of communication (talking not shouting), physical behaviors (hugging, holding hands, never hitting, kicking, etc.), screen time limitations, cleaning up after playing, and so forth.
What does this do exactly? Well, it teaches your child what your expectations are for them in your household. Ideally they will follow through with the same gentle and positive behaviors in other contexts as well. But what the eventual hope is, is that because you taught them that you have boundaries, that have molded their behavior responses positively, they will then follow suit with their own relationships in the future.
For example, if there is a lot of shouting in the household, your child may then model that elsewhere, and in the future receive that form of communication from others as well. But if you put in the communication boundary that we do not speak like this, we talk in appropriate levels without being verbally aggressive, then your child will model that, and expect that in their future relationships. Of course this does not happen all the time, but if that is the base level that you keep coming back to, that is what your child will learn.
Boundaries are key for appropriate and positive behavior development in everyone, especially children at such a young age. Basically, it teaches the everlasting rule, treat others how you would like to be treated.
3. Practice Daily Movement
This is an easy one but something a lot of parents will forget to model, and just putting your child in an extra class might not cut it. Here’s why….
With the ongoing insurgence of technology such as video games, social media apps, and streaming platforms, the habit of daily movement has really fallen to the wayside. However, if you do not teach this now, especially while your child is young, not only will they build up a tolerance against it, but they will physically be at a disadvantage.
This is not a hard one. Make sure your child has daily movement, and hopefully an extended period of it. But what really puts the icing on the cake, what would really get them involved, is if you do it with them.
This does not have to be overly involved, it can be anything from a walk, going to the park together, playground play, etc. But ideally do it together. When kids see that something is important to their mom or dad, it becomes that much more important to them. So set your child off on the right path, and let’s get moving every single day.
4. Practice Daily Outdoor Time… Find Your Sunshine!
This is an easy one that falls right in line with the tip above! Having fresh air daily is so important for your physical and mental clarity. This is backed by so many ongoing studies. Not only does the body respond to fresh air, but being in vitamin D at a time when so many are lacking in it, just intensifies the need to be outside more.
In addition to that, it’s a beautiful idea to get outside with your loved ones and enjoy movement. Sitting inside can lead to increased stillness, screen time, snacking, and more. You do not want your child becoming a couch potato at the age of 5, 15, 25, or whenever.
Practice daily outings for fresh air and vitamin D as much as possible. It’s one of those things, just like exercise, that might be hard to motivate yourself to do sometimes, but you’ll always be happier when coming back.
I am also going to link my blog post on fun ideas for family outings here to get you started!
5. Teach Your Child to Eat a Healthy Diet.. Here’s How!
The next tip that blends into the physical aspect of health as well is teaching your child about a nutritious diet. Have you ever heard that a picky eater is taught… not natural? That’s right parents, if you have a picky eater, that is a learned behavior. Your child learned that behavior from you. Your child learned that maybe they don’t like carrots and if they refuse enough, mommy will come back with plain pasta or cheese sticks (insert whatever food your child is fixated on at this point, and trust me, it will change).
Well, it is really important to teach your child from a very young age, I mean infancy, to eat the rainbow OFTEN. It is also important to teach the boundary, that they eat whatever you give them, not what they scream for. Again, head to that boundaries blog post for more on that.
But seriously parents, unfortunately the U.S. has one of the highest rates of processed foods with a severe lack in health regulations for these products. It is your job as the parent to instill healthy food practices at an early age. If you do so, your child will not only be a healthier human being, they will get sick much less often, be open to trying many new foods, will focus on real foods versus processed, etc.
Am I saying they should never have cupcakes or a McDonald’s burger? Absolutely not. Life is life and you have to live it! But a diet based on bagged chips, skittles, plain pasta, and soda is not where it’s at.
And you should be the number one model for that. If that means it’s time to overhaul your diet, well my friend, it’s time. Your child learns more through visual modeling than just being told. And when you do… a long happy life will await you both. Being in charge of our nutrition is one of the most important health tools we can have.
6. Push to Increase Your Child’s Social Interaction
This one can be a little tricky for me as I am an introvert at heart. And possibly speaking to other introverts here, I know it’s not easy to just get out there and be social. Going for a walk in the fresh air? No problem, but mingling amongst strangers, friends, or even family can be a little exhausting at times.
However, it is really important to teach your child that relationships in real life are so much more meaningful than anything they will find through a computer or telephone screen. Real life interactions help to fill your cup, allow you to practice normative social behaviors (which is important!), and keep you advancing with your peers.
Think about it this way, you want your child to make friends in school right? You never want your child to be the scared kid in the corner with no friends, who refuses to talk to anyone. Well the less you practice real life social interactions, natural hermit like behaviors will begin to develop. Let’s not even go there.
Socialize your child. It will help them make long lasting relationships, function comfortably in different environments, build their confidence outside of their home, and allow them to become a productive member of society.
7. Limit Screen Time.. Tips Linked!
Going right in line with getting out more, teaching the habit of limiting screen time is huge. I cannot tell you how important this is for people of all ages! This is just as important for you, for adults, as it is for kids. The one thing kids have on us, is that they are just learning to explore screens, whereas for many of us… it can already be a full fledged addiction.
But you do not want this to happen to your child. And again, modeling is the best tool you have. Practice playing with your child, reading with your child, going on excursions with your family. Screens have taken away so much of our time that it directly tears our attention from our real life relationships. This changes the dynamic of the relationship and can lead towards negative behaviors and reactions.
Ever wonder, why your child tantrums when you’re on your phone? It’s because you are no longer actively being with them, playing with them, caring for them. And the more consistently you do this, the more they begin to feel that they are less important and your screen is more important.
Lastly, it is a confirmed fact that all these video games and phone apps are created in algorithmic ways to be addictive. They are over stimulating, cause excessive heightened sensitivity from the user, and more reactive responses to other situations off screen. Please note, and this is very important to communicate, that there is a direct correlation between excessive screen time and ADD/ADHD/ sensory delays. Is this the only cause? Absolutely not. But it is a factor.
Screen time can be unsafe if not limited. It is very important to teach your child appropriate screen time habits.
I have another post with tips on how to make it easier for you here.
8. Make Reading a Priority for Your Child
One thing to help supplement screen time, can be reading! Reading is a very good habit to procure and should be done so from a young age. Once we’re older, we find many excuses to not have time for reading such as for work that needs to be done, errands that need managing, etc. And it creates a sense of unproductiveness to allow time for reading when you can be getting something else done. However, if you establish this habit from a younger age, it becomes more common place and easier to enjoy.
Also, needless to say, but it opens up a world of knowledge that you or your child wouldn’t have otherwise. And!! It will help them down the road once reading becomes an integral part of their regular schooling.
So what’s the easiest way to help your child develop this habit? Two things… read to them, and also… read with them. You guessed it! Modeling is super important and it would be lovely to have your child sitting with a book practicing independent reading while also seeing you read your book independently next to them.
9. Teach Kindness, Tolerance, and Diversity
This is a point that you don’t think would need to be discussed but in this day and age, it’s never as obvious as you think it should be. This is self explanatory. I am going to keep this short and sweet and link another blog post that goes way more in depth about this as well.
Teach your child to be a kind and caring human. Hatred and violence is taught, and ignorance is looked down upon. We know what it means to be a kind human. Be a parent that not only practices that, but makes a point to teach it so much to your child that it is a habit.
10. Teach Financial Literacy… Seriously.
The last habit your child should learn, that we will discuss, is one that is not focused on till later years, if at all. I think this is very very wrong.
Financial literacy is something your child can learn from at a very young age if you teach it in language they understand. No, of course I don’t mean taxes, 401Ks, etc. But understanding the concept of money in exchange for goods, and the concept of work is something that should be established immediately.
Honestly, one of the cutest and best things we see in the preschool, is how excited a 3yr old gets after receiving a $1. Do they understand the actual amount and what it buys them? Absolutely not. But they understand that this holds weight, and that if they give it to the cashier they get something in return. Cause and effect, it’s right there from the start.
What you need to do as a parent, is help to teach how money is granted (through work), a comfortable and confident attitude around money (so as not to create stress and a sense of lack), and advance it’s nuances as they get older. You can also easily teach them about saving, take a little trip to a bank, show them how it is deposited, etc.
You simply want to create a healthy relationship with money for them and have them continue to learn its power as they get older. And again, the older they get, the more terminology and concepts (such as investments, savings, etc) they will be able to understand and manage.
*Summary
Alright parents, there you have it! The top 10 habits you should be teaching your child right now. These habits will help to create a healthy balance in your child’s life from their younger years through adulthood if consistency is maintained. But it starts from an early age for sure. The quicker the habit is established, the easier it will be for them to carry forward.
And with you in their corner modeling all the positive habits for them.. it’s a sure win. Just a note, these tips do not go in any certain order, but all should be explored to help your child get off on the right foot and in the right door.
And as always, If you have any questions, comments, or ideas please share them in the comments section below with your fellow parents! And definitely subscribe to the newsletter for updates and ongoing happenings at TylekTeaches.com. The subscription link is just on the right hand side of this post. See you there!
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