As your kid is growing up, it is never too early for them to learn good habits and behaviors. Teaching them good habits and manners stats when they start understanding. As parents, it is our responsibility to focus on our children’s development stages.
It is very important to teach our kid how to crawl, potty training and encourages their interest in sports. Those trainings are important, however, it is also vital to inculcate good habits into them. Since it takes a lot of practice and repetition for a kid to grasp new information, teaching them since early childhood can prove to be fruitful. From birth to age three is very important for a child’s development.
Below are some examples of good habits which you can follow to help your kid learn some responsibility in their most tender age!
1. Encourage independent playtime
As early as 6 months, independent playtime is important for a large number of reasons. Your child will take time to learn new skills and it will need practice for them to do so. If you let them play by themselves, your child will learn a lot such as independence, confidence, creativity, problem-solving skills and the chance to explore the world on their own.
For babies :
Always choose to make them play in their crib, that way they can play independently and avoid any incidents as well. Offer your babies appropriate toys to explore. While doing so, the parent gets some free time to do some other work, make sure that you keep an eye from time to time. Don’t give them small objects which they can put in their mouth and choke on them.
For toddlers :
As your child keeps growing up, the independent playtime will increase. You will notice that they can spend 45 minutes or more for playing alone. If you are a busy mom, you will find that this time is precious. Take some time and notice how much your kid is more confident and his abilities are much impressive.
2. Cleaning responsibilities for toddlers
When your child becomes a toddler, it is the perfect time to teach him some cleaning tasks. You will notice that when you let him take some responsibility, he will feel proud of himself. For example, you can teach your child to put his dirty laundry in the laundry basket. Even if he takes longer, let him do it. He will get better each time he practices this exercise.
Another thing which you can teach is how to use a dustpan so that every time that he throws something on the floor, he can be a part of the cleaning process.
The most important thing is to teach them to rearrange their toys after they are done playing. You can set up a rule that everyone should clean their mess after playing. With lots of practice, the child will understand that it is important that he needs to put his toys away once he is done playing with them.
Now try to inculcate some fun while teaching them those activities. Singing songs can make the task seems more fun. Always make the task seem entertaining rather than a struggle. It is never too early to teach your kid good habits such as responsibility. You will find your child running to give his parents a helping hand. So start thinking about some tasks which you can teach your child. Remember: be patient!
3. Teach your child good manners and communication skills
It is very important to teach your child good manners and the art of being polite when they are young. Along with you and your family, other adults and children will also appreciate a polite child. Please and thank you are the basic words which you should teach to your child since early childhood. It is a great way to start good manners. Always have your child to practice those kind words with you as well with others.
Apart from good manners, teach your child to use their big boy voice. Never let them get the habit of whining, it would drive you crazy. Instead of saying “ STOP WHINING” you can try to approach them in a better way by saying “ I cannot understand what you are saying, please use your big boy voice.”
4. Practice Good Hygiene
Start by teaching your child about oral hygiene, begin by wiping off their gums with a wet soft cloth. Once their first teeth come out, then you can buy a soft toothbrush.
Washing hands is also an important habit to teach to your kids. That way they will get into the routine of washing their hands after playing, before and after snacks, after using the bathroom, etc… It is important to teach kids healthy habits.
