7 Simple Habits That I Want My Child To Have For Life
Last year, a big black ant bit my toddler on his toe. The love for one’s child, that every mom has, was obviously lurking in my heart too and enlarged greatly after the incident. Instead of realizing that I should have been more careful with my son when ants were around; I started stamping them angrily whenever I saw any.
My son, who was too young at that time, conveniently emulated this behavior of mine and started stamping not just ants but any tiny insects that he found crawling on the floor. Seeing him do this, made me highly regret my behavior and also the fact that it unfortunately took him almost a year to quit this habit.
The ant incident made me realize three things:
- The importance of my behavior when my son’s around.
- A bad habit once formed at a young age takes years to quit.
- A good habit if formed at this age would become my son’s second nature for life.
This made me brood over the good habits that I want my child to have for life. I came up with a few and have already started working sincerely towards making my son form these.
7 Simple Habits That I Want My Child To Have For Life
- 1. No troubling animals
Since it all started from the ant incident I mentioned above, I want my child to get into the habit of being careful with animals and even insects on the floor.
I want him to form the habit of loving and respecting nature and animals and appreciating its beauty instead of harming it.
- 2. No wasting water
My son loves to use the health faucet to spray water on the floor, mirror and walls. He also loves to pour buckets full of water on the floor and play with water.
I want him to get into a habit of not wasting water at all as water is truly precious and it is something he will have to value more and more as he grows up.
- 3. Making the bed himself
I dust and prepare the bed for my son every day before he goes to sleep.
Eventually I would want him to form the habit of dusting and preparing the bed himself before going to sleep. This will make him feel more clean, organized and peaceful as he ends his day.
- 4. Hugs and kisses to parents
I hug my son multiple times daily. Still at least once in a day I do this thing portraying it as a ritual, mentioning to him that he’s supposed to do ‘laadi‘ (our word for hug) to me.
I want him to cultivate this habit because it is very important for him to express his love to his parents. This will also give him emotional confidence and strength.
- 5. Cleaning up his messes
Scattering all the toys on the floor and almost swimming in them for hours is a daily enjoyable ritual for my son. I don’t scold him at all for doing this, but when he’s done, I call him to help me pick those toys and put them back into the playpen.
I want him to form the habit of cleaning up the messes that he makes as this will be of help to him (and to me too) all his life.
- 6. Wearing house slippers
The moment my son’s back from school, he asks me to remove his shoes and socks and loves to run around the house barefoot. He refuses to wear his house slippers or even socks when asked to.
I want him to form the habit of wearing house slippers all the time as this will keep his feet clean and will also protect him from the cold floor which isn’t good for health.
- 7. Excuse Me!
My son’s a chatterbox at home and is also an attention seeker. Who’s talking to whom doesn’t matter much to him and he simply interrupts people putting his point forward. He’s unstoppable when he calls out, “Mumma! Mumma! Mumma!” until I don’t respond to him while talking to someone else.
I would want him to form the habit of saying “Excuse me!” before interrupting someone. This is a very good manner and is an important part of communication skills-something that he will need all his life.
These were the 7 small habits that I want my child to have for life. I’m sure you too have thought of or cultivated such small and good habits for your child. As a mom, you definitely won’t disagree when I say that little drops of water make a mighty ocean and
Good habits make a successful person.
