Forming good habits early in life is crucial in a child’s social growth. Do not impose discipline harshly. Developing good habits should follow the same process as learning how to walk and talk. Teaching good practices should be done simultaneously with teaching basic shapes and numbers. The impact of forming good habits among small children will serve them far beyond the home.
Child Care Pros, a childcare service in Boston, is very aware of the need to form good habits for children from a very early age. It is our mission to help form themselves into responsible individuals who can be independent and productive later on in life.
Read on and find out why developing good habits among children at the earliest stages in their growth is crucial. Not only are these habits crucial, these habits are relevant to keeping themselves free and safe from harm.
Rising Early in the Morning
Daytime is the most productive part of the day. With that, an early riser can get many things done. It will help if you start this habit with the rest of the family. Maintain a tight sleeping schedule where children are up early and have earlier bedtimes. Having sufficient rest will help children get energetic for the rest of the day. With ample sunlight, children can be more active, motivated, and healthy. Staying active in the day, where they are most alert, will be helpful in their intellectual development as well.
Regular Exercise
Pediatricians have been citing a rising case of obesity, and other studies show that many children have been suffering the effects of a sedentary lifestyle. The advent of widespread device use, even for very young children, does not help with their physical and mental development. Combined with an unbalanced diet, the lack of meaningful exercise will prove harmful for children, especially if the habit of taking good exercise is taken for granted. You have the chance to do your part to reverse this trend by forming the habit for your children to do regular exercise. Engaging in sports later on or yoga can give them a chance to form a healthy habit and a group of children committed to being healthy.
Resource Management and Environmental Awareness
One of the most pressing matters confronting society nowadays is our planet’s dwindling resources. Teaching children to be conscious of the resources around them will help gain them the awareness that our planet’s resources are to be shared and should be used prudently. Habits such as turning off the tap, or serving themselves at just the right amount they need are a start. The habit of forming resource awareness can also teach them to be responsible for people outside their spheres.
Personal Hygiene
Developing proper personal hygiene is essential, not just for the sake of being neat, but to keep off pathogens from spreading. The advent of COVID-19 has thrust discussions on handwashing into the limelight. Note that these simple habits, formed with children early on, can help keep them from harmful germs later on in life. Proper grooming also helps in their personal development, and giving a good impression of neatness will help with their self-esteem.
Following Safety Rules
Children are very active, and being too active is not an excuse for being unsafe. Following safety rules early on in life can help keep themselves and other children from harm. For most children, this can be one of the first lessons on responsibility. Eventually, children will have to fend for themselves. Having a conscious awareness of safety rules will be very helpful when lesser supervision is required of them as they grow older.
Not Littering and Awareness of their Immediate Surroundings
Not littering is a habit that is difficult to form, even for adults. We see littering and messy surroundings, especially in crowded places. A bigger problem will ultimately result if garbage is not managed the way it should be. Forming the habit of not littering, or keeping the tables clean, are habits that need to be cultivated among children. The habit of neatness for their immediate surroundings can also serve as a lesson on responsibility.