The biggest challenge a parent faces is to raise independent & compassionate children. Especially in today’s age it is difficult to get kids to do things just because parents are saying. Kids these days need reasons & motivation behind every action. Thus making sure that positive & constructive habits are built in kids early on is really essential for parents today.
Here are some habits that all kids must develop from an early childhood.
A Good Hygiene – A good hygiene is a must for everyone, old or young. But the younger we begin, the easier it is to imbibe it in our day to day habits. Kids should be talked about the importance of oral hygiene, physical hygiene & keeping our surroundings too clean to be able to maintain the hygiene. Of course teaching by action works best with kids thus we as parents need to make sure we brush in front of our kids every morning, bathe every day, wear clean cloths, pick up any bits of paper or garbage from around the house & keep it in dustbin. Kids will see & kids will follow!
Healthy Eating Habits – Again, one more habit that sooner it starts, better it is for kids. With growing emphasis on self-feeding, kids are becoming more independent eaters. This has to be complements with healthy eating as well. Eating at right time, the right kind of food, the right amount of everything – that’s something kids will just like other habits learn by watching. Thus parents need to be role model in this case too.
Being Respectful & considerate – How kids treat people coming from different social & economic background will define what kind of human they become once they grow up. Thus teaching them to respect each individual with respect is a must for parents. People with physical or mental disabilities, beggars & street dwellers, waiters, shopkeepers, maids & drivers – we need to help our kids develop a habit of treating everyone with compassion & respect.
A Balance between learning & fun – I as a parent find it disturbing when I see few parents over emphasizing on academics & rote learning forgetting that kids too just like grownups need to have a school – life balance. Kids should be encouraged to go outdoors to play, peruse a hobby or sport (not by force, but by choice) If we want them to grow up to be employees & family people who have a work – life balance, the habit needs to start early.
Being Independent – Kids should be in a regular habit of doing their small chores on their own. Work like keeping their cloths, socks, shoes etc in place, keeping their plates back in kitchen basin, helping the mother or house help with organizing their toys & cloths, making their own bed, helping with packing their tiffin etc. We all expect the dads to be hands on in helping the wives in household work – the habit has to begin early.
— Shalu Sharma Rathod —
(EECE Expert, ProEves)