CM habits

[JaneNickerson]

Does anyone here work on "Habit of the Week"? I was going to start this year but I am unsure how.

Do I just pick a habit my dc are having trouble with and .... help me! :confused:

[Sharon H in IL]

Well I don't plan it in advance, but opportunities never seem to fail to arise. ;)

 

Right now we're working on flossing.

 

The boys have learned to strip their beds and bring the linens downstairs on Saturday mornings for washday. That was a nice habit to get into.

 

They've also learned to take all their stuff out of the van every time we get home, and help unload groceries.

 

One kid has actually learned to take a shower and wash his hair after swimming. And rinse out his suit. Without being told. YES!

[Ashleen]

Well I don't plan it in advance, but opportunities never seem to fail to arise. ;)

 

:smilielol5:Ain't that the truth?

 

Honestly, just jump in with whatever needs worked on the most. I have also worked on habits in myself and I've made amazing progress. Believe it or not, when dh and I were first married we sometimes didn't do dishes...all week! :tongue_smilie: When we had kids we obviously had to change our lazy behaviors and now it's amazing to see that neither of us can stand to have any dirty dishes in the kitchen at all. We're so used to the habit of washing them immediately that you'd never guess what slouches we used to be in that area. So there is hope in forming good habits, even for adults!

[Cedarmom]

I did this a lot when my son was younger. Now I don't plan on doing it, but it still happens. When I did it a real benefit was my son felt encouraged to wrok. When I don't do it , I found myself trying to change too much, and it was just nagging, and he would get discouraged that he couldn't do anything right. Focusing on one thing really helped him develop a habit. It was good for me too. I probably should go back to doing it.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Sometimes the habits are practical ones (like changing the toilet paper when it runs out!) and sometimes the habits are ones of thinking/character (like not complaining). The thinking/character ones are much harder. But like the others who have posted, this comes up as the need arises. I think what helps esp. with the thinking/character type of habits is another thing I learned from Charlotte Mason - not nagging but coming along side the child to work on it together.

[Trivium Academy]

We just moved into a new house so that has helped break some bad habits on both the children and my part. It is said that it takes 21 days to make something a habit, that is 3 weeks.

 

For 3 weeks I concentrate on whatever habit I want to work on with my children and I try to make it the same habit so they are working on it together. I just put together a daily chore list for both of my children, the first thing to be focused on will be the first thing they have to do in the morning. I will progress through their chore list so that hopefully in time they will not have to look at the list to know what to do, it will be ingrained in them. For the meantime, I'm working on ds4 concerning potty training which I'll spare you the details. :tongue_smilie:

 

For character issues, I've noticed in my dd8 that she has a tendency to do certain things. I wanted something scriptural to study but also heart reaching and I found the character books at http://www.keepersofthefaith.com (someone here recommended them) to be perfect for us. They are formatted to use for 30 days which is perfect for the length of time it has been said to formulate a new habit. I also love that it draws on scripture to teach.

 

For this year I've decided to work on 4 traits with dd8: determination, willingness, diligence and truthfulness. I chose these based on areas I feel she is the weakest at this point and to give her a solid foundation as these may become a problem. I'm trying to address truthfulness before it becomes a problem and instill self-discipline in her with the other three traits.

 

I'm positive you will find your way to do this, just be encouraged! Morality and character are the cornerstones of what we're doing by keeping our kids home, someone said that today and it rang so true.

[JaneNickerson]

Thanks, ladies. :)

[8filltheheart]

We have never done a formal study of virtue before other than within the context of their religious studies. We have had a very rough couple of yrs and I have decided that we need to spend time doing spiritual retreats. I found a resource called the Virtue Tree (for kids) that is coordinated with Growing in the Virtues of Jesus (adult). So, I have set aside a short time one day/week for the family retreats via a book study.

 

 

The children's book is broken down into:

 

God's Image and our own self image

Virtues and Bad Days

Growing Good Fruit

Good Words

Good Signs

Good Thoughts

Good Energy

Good Imagination

Recollection

Obedience

Courage and Suffering

Accepting what you cannot change

Weakness

Tendency to sin

Living with doubts

Patience

Temptation to despair

Humility

Modesty

Living for God

Detachment from material goods

 

Each week there are Good Ideas to work on and spiritual reflections for self-examination. BTW....this is a Catholic resource.

[Peela]

I have thought about it but I don't think a week is actually long enough to establish the habit. I like the Flylady system of a habit a month though- this month it is staying on top of the washing, and its easy to focus on it for myself, but also bring the kids into it as well. Other habits just need working on until they stick.