10 Good habits and values every parent must teach their child

Do you think your child does not listen to you? Are they bratty and complaining? Or do they refuse to cooperate at social events and even while studying?

Many parents complain of the same. A child not listening to a parent is not new. Children do not like to be told what to do. In fact, most children learn from observing their immediate circumstances. In modern times, many parents have become increasingly concerned about the values their children are learning. Here are 10 key habits and values every parent must teach their child. 

We must remember, “If you are going to achieve excellence in big things, you develop the habit in little matters.  Excellence is not an exception; it is a prevailing attitude.” – Colin Powell

1. Dedication to health: Health is the one thing that we take for granted until we cannot choose to ignore it anymore. Its presence is not appreciated until it is gone. So, health should be priority numero uno for all the parents out there. 

You can do so by cooking and eating freshly available seasonal and local vegetables. If you are not a vegetarian, you can also look for various fish and meat for extra protein and fatty acids. These are going to assist your child’s brain development. It also develops the good habit of eating at fixed times and avoiding snacking. Good eating habits also develop the values of family time and looking after one another.

2. Time Management and Efficiency: The ability to manage time is a must have in this age. We lose a sense of time scrolling on the internet, and- this goes for both children and adults. The first step to building good habits and values is to build a routine. We must delegate tasks such as household chores, studying, eating, sleeping and play-time to make sure nothing is in excess. 

Remember, Aristotle said,” Good habits formed in youth make all the difference.”  For this, parents can make use of visual calendars to make it exciting for children of each age group. You can also sit down with your child to build one for the new school year and help them stick to it. This can create a sense of control for both the child and the parent and nothing will spiral out of control.

3. Ethical values: Values make up the character of the child and set them up for success in the future. The strongest and best loved leaders are those who are guided by a strong sense of ethics. Values such as honesty, mutual respect, integrity, empathy, gratitude and courage help not only the child, but also those who come into contact with him. These kinds of children usually are natural leaders and people believe in their sense of justice and fairness.

Thus, encouraging children to share toys and other things makes them generous and in turn they can be expected to be treated generously by others. This makes for an overall positive environment for all present.

4. Digital etiquette: In this age, children are exposed to the internet as soon as they are born. There is no sure-fire way to monitor and control their online habits. Thus, we must focus on building internet etiquette also known as netiquette to help them navigate the world of the world wide web responsibly. 

We can start with emphasis on privacy. Teach them to respect the privacy of others and their own. Educate them to not share passwords and personal information such as their address or phone numbers. Also help them to understand the need for kindness and respect while interacting with others online.

5. Critical Thinking: It is the ability to think reasonably and reach conclusions by asking the right questions. It is the objective analysis of information and data to make informed decisions. Hence the skill of decision making is a byproduct of encouraging critical thinking in children.

We can develop critical thinking skills in children through encouraging them to participate in debates and exposing them to diverse experiences such as escape rooms and amusement parks. To make this fun at home, you can play board games and solve logical problems along with your child.

6. Independence: We as parents love to assist our children with every task. We must master the art of being there for our children without promoting overreliance. It is essential for them to be independent to face all kinds of challenges in their lives. Thus, it becomes our duty to instill this essential good habit in every child.

For toddlers, you can focus on helping them bathe and change on their own. For younglings and teens, you can offer them chores for pocket money. It furthur enforces the value of hard work.

7. Financial Literacy: A lot of things were considered taboo to talk of. One of them is money. Especially discussion of money with children. We do not want our children to feel like we are doing them a favor by spending on their expenses. Of course, it is only our responsibility. However, it is also important to teach them the value of money and its importance for everyday survival.

You can allot them pocket money which they can make use of to buy things which may best suit their needs. It might also assist in the sense of privacy to get whatever they want. You can include them in monthly budget plans of the household so they have a fair idea of what the costs of essential items are. 

8. Environmental Awareness: Temperatures soar each year and the earth is under its way to a dire future. It is our responsibility to ensure a safe and greener habitat for future generations. It may seem a far-off problem to you, but remember that Maldives will be submerged in water by 2050! That would be when your child would be in the prime of his life.

Thus, it is very important to educate children about the value of the three RRRs. Promote ways of being environmentally sustainable by promoting kitchen gardening. This would also double as a fun weekly activity to form strong emotional bonds. Be a role model and engage in behaviors which point to a sustainable mindset.

9. Adaptability and Flexibility: It is the era of everchanging technology and wild inventions. We often find it hard to keep up with the latest electronic trends. With the kids now, these changes are more overwhelming than ever. Adapting to the current environment is the most relevant skill now.

There is a lot of science backed information on how to best help your kid deal with immediate environmental changes such as moving out. Socializing them and taking them out, helping them becoming more familiar with their environment helps a ton. Validate how they might feel about a something and slowly ease them into new things.

10. Relaxation and Mindfulness: This is a continuation from the very last habit which focuses on the fast pace of change. It is very easy to lose oneself in the such a lifestyle. We expect so much from our kids and want the very best for them. All of this can lead to burn out from studying and extracurricular activities.

Chronic stress can be dealt with many fun ways with kids. You can also mediate along with them between school and post school activities breaks. You can gift them pretty journals which they can use to jot down their thoughts and keep a clear head.

Those were the 10 good habits and values every parent must teach their child for success. Remember, there is no one way to parent a child. Needs differ for each child, and hence it is best to keep the above in mind as guidelines and not rules to be enforced. Happy Parenting!

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