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6 Childhood Habits That Benefit Our Family


I am asked what advice I would give to other mothers or those entering their first motherhood season. Honestly, it’s a very difficult question to answer because every family is different and has a unique situation. But what I’ve come back to again and again is the idea of ​​habits—building habits for your family that will help your kids build strong character and lifelong virtues. There are so many books, blogs and articles pointing out the many benefits of forming good habits (the sooner the better as they say) and as anyone trying to form or break a habit as an adult knows, there can be many benefits to forming. sometimes it seems monotonous. Especially if you throw kids into the mix. But I can tell you from my own experience that the fruit is coming – and it’s definitely coming!

There is a lot of wisdom in instilling good habits in your children – of course, there are many benefits for children. But I have found that these habits make our home a little smoother. smoother, not smooth – important to note! But in a world where motherhood has become so complex, these simple habits have served our family well.

Just like adults, children need lots of reminders and grace along the way. Anything from the holidays to a minor glitch in our schedule can be enough to break a habit, so just know that restarting and resetting is okay. As mothers, we are the ones who set the tone and pace during this very short childhood – the impact on our children’s lives. So let’s use it well!

6 Habits That Have Served My Family Well

1. Early Bedtimes

Research has consistently proven that an early bedtime for children helps their physical, emotional and cognitive development. Earlier bedtimes allow for deeper restorative sleep, which is great for ever-growing, ever-exploring brains! Not only that, going to bed early helps establish a routine, and routines are very good for kids. They know what to expect each night, so crises are reduced and battles over sleep are less likely. Plus, early bedtimes for toddlers give parents time to regroup as adults and spend time together. A kind of mental break! Now that I am a teenager, the days are much longer and I find myself fondly remembering those younger days.

2. First Listening

Don’t let this sentence scare you. “First time obedience” doesn’t mean you’ll have little robots – they’re kids, after all! Grace abounds in our home, but we have clear parent-child relationships. From a young age, we used phrases like “listening for the first time” and “obedience for the first time” to remind my daughters how important it is to listen. Learning to honor parents means listening to and obeying them. Most of the time this is for a security reason, but sometimes it’s character development. When I had my first daughter, there was a popular parenting method of reasoning with your kids when they didn’t want to do what was asked of them. But (quite quickly!) I’ve discovered that you can’t stop and reason every time your child doesn’t want to listen (which is usually the case). Obedience for the first time will serve them well in their school careers too – and teachers will appreciate that more than you think!

3. Family Affairs

My daughters helped with housework from an early age. Even with a housekeeper, I want my girls to do chores – they build character and also help them learn what it means to be part of the family. We do not pay our children for chores, and how we divide them depends on my children’s current age and stage. Making chores like unloading the dishwasher after breakfast or making their bed in the morning reduces protests when they know how to do it every day. And bonus: it helps my mom!

4. Flexible Routine

Developing a family rhythm is relaxing for babies and throughout the teenage years! Kids get used to routine and know what to expect – it helps them feel a sense of comfort and security no matter their age. But of course some things happen (illness, travel, vacations) so we shouldn’t be too rigid or life will always be frustrating. So there are some things my parents do throughout the day to combine routine and rhythm. For example, on Sundays we try not to overdo it with activities and have a big family dinner. We have dinner as a family every night, but sometimes someone is in the youth group or my husband is out of town, we just eat without them. In the morning, I make a dedication with my girls for breakfast every day. These are the little dots that help set the rhythm of their day.

5. Daily Outdoor Clock

My girls last night how we walked up and down the street every afternoon, walked around, collected acorns, talked to neighbors, etc. they remembered. I tried to take my girls out every day when they were little, even on the street. backyard or time at our favorite local parks. At one point we had a “secret” park that we always explored. Nature has a wonderful effect to arouse children’s curiosity. But time outside also provides extra energy (which helps parents too!). My husband has also made it a priority to take my girls camping, hiking, and kayaking as they get older. These are traditions they have come to love, cherish and look forward to, and for that in our fast-paced, digital world, I am so grateful!

6. Kindness To Others

This may be a post in itself, but being nice to others is a habit that takes practice. It’s easy to fall into a bad habit of sniping or eye-rolling at siblings, so we really need to work hard to make polite habits a norm in our home. I always tell myself that if my girls aren’t treating each other well at home, then I can’t expect them to be nice to others outside the home. Teaching them to love and serve others starts at home! When they were young, we often talked about “putting others first,” based on Philippians 2:3-4. We also have a phrase “when someone needs help” and they repeat “we help them”. Kindness is a habit we constantly remind them of, so don’t be discouraged.


Of course, there are many habits that are useful in childhood, but these are the ones that have come to my mind lately. I hope you find them encouraging – and maybe they’ll help your family too! Let me know if you want to hear more and any habits you think are helpful for your family in the comments below!

lee





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