On Habits

Several years ago I began reading materials about and by an English teacher whose name was Charlotte Mason. One of the things that impressed me so much was her discourse on habits. She felt that the formation of habits was one of the most important things that occurred in the education process and more importantly in the character development of children. We all develop habits, yet how little thought is given to their development and the long term consequence's of those habits.

A child taught to brush his teeth both night and day and whose parents endeavor to enforce this habit throughout his young life will most likely always have excellent oral hygiene and few cavities. Likewise, if the parents of the child pay no attention to the oral habits of their offspring, the children grow up without understanding the importance of brushing and will most likely never feel like it is a necessary thing to do. If someone should point out to them the benefits of brushing the now grow child will struggle indefinitely to gain the habit of brushing, failing many times to develop it into a successful habit and will not have the support of another to positively reward the habits development.

How much more serious is it then to know what character habits need to be developed and likewise what habits need to be rooted out. It is important for us as parents to look at our children with a clear prayed through plan for their development. What are the child's strength that can be built upon and what are the weaknesses that need enforcement and encouragement on our part. Some habits simply make us better at being part of the social structure of our home. The habit of picking up after ones shelve will be a blessing to all the others in the home but especially the mother. It is not a habit that occurs naturally however and it requires time and discipline on the parents part to make the practice a habit.

Many of our attitudes are merely habits. There are certain things that I do not like to do and when I have to do them I most likely do not do them happily. This is a habit from my childhood that is very deeply rooted and requires vigilance on my part to keep at bay. Does your child respond happily to a request? Or does your child grumble? This is a habit. What a blessing it is to have a child who has been taught to respond happily. If the child's habitual response is grumbling the parents and family will often think this child unpleasant and trying. Yet, it is not the child's fault but laziness on the part of the parent that creates this unpleasant situation. It takes time to recognize the development of a habit. Then it takes constant effort to maintain that habit.

Habits are easily developed in children. Bad habits are easier to deal with when they have only been habits a short time. Bad habits in an adult are unpleasant and never easy for anyone to handle simply because time has made them such an intergral part of the person. How important it is as parents to look long and hard at the habits of our children and to work with them in their establishment.