Instilling Good Habits Means Overcoming Our Own Bad Habits

A bad habit would never have become a habit at all if it didn't provide some benefit,relief or good feeling. Recently, the 2010 Dietary recommendations from the U.S. government urged parents not to allow their children to eat in front of the television set. A young mom recently told me that she had tried to create a special event for her children by laying out what she called the "magic carpet" in front of the T.V. so her three children could watch something special while they ate. Soon they were regularly asking her to get out the blanket they called the magic carpet and she said if she had let them the would have eaten every meal there. Seeing where this was headed she wisely got rid of the "magic carpet" and dinner returned to the table and the entertainment was once again talking to each other.

There is an old saying, "Sow an act and reap a habit. Sow a habit and you reap a character. Sow a character and reap a destiny." Every action we take with our children can impact their destiny. I once let a three year old try a gymnastic's class because she was forever climbing up on things. Unable to dissuade her from that I wanted her to learn how to fall without getting hurt. Today after years in the sport she is coaching girls with Olympic ambitions at one of the most respected gyms in the nation. I let another child take guitar lessons while we were waiting for his sister to get out of gymnastics and he is now a gifted guitarist and a singer/song writer. I let another sister join a drama group again to pass the time while we waited for her sister. That drama group is where she met her future husband and the father of my first grandson. I just didn't want my three year old to break her leg. I had no idea how much hinged on that one decision.

Activities, television, friends... the list goes on and on. Parents influence and control a lot of areas in their children's lives when they are young. Sadly, the single mom with the creative bent told me that because she has to work and go to school she doesn't know if her children have found a way back to the "magic carpet" and television. She is taking charge of what she can and will soon be beginning the Exercising Values program with her children. I'll let you know what happens and perhaps she'll do a guest blog for me so you can hear it in her own words. Meanwhile, please let me know how you are doing as you continue to try to give your children a great start in life. Your comments are always welcomed.