The 8 Habits of Highly Successful Children

Most of us have heard of – if not read – Stephen R. Convey’s best-selling book ‘The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People’. While it may be a tad too soon for our kids to start reading self-help books, it’s always best to get them started from young when it comes to forming good habits. In the words of Mahatma Gandhi: “Your beliefs become your thoughts, your thoughts become your words, your words become your actions, your actions become your habits, your habits become your values, your values become your destiny.”

Here are 8 habits your kid should inculcate for him to grow up a disciplined, well-adjusted and self-motivated individual.

1. Always have breakfast

This may seem like a no-brainer but let’s be honest: how many of us are guilty of occasionally skipping the most important meal of the day? Studies have shown that children who have breakfast respond better in class and have higher levels of concentration as opposed to children who do without. Make breakfast an important part of your child’s morning routine everyday, and perhaps get him or her involved in planning the daily ‘menu’.

2. Build an active lifestyle

With a host of electronic distractions threatening to turn children into couch potatoes, it’s imperative that we motivate our kids to make exercise a daily part of their lives. The American Heart Association recommends that children engage in at least 60 minutes of exercise everyday. By getting them to adopt active lifestyles from a tender age, our kids will more likely continue to incorporate exercise into their daily routines even without our constant reminders in future.

The key is to make exercise fun because let’s face it: jogging isn’t exactly exciting. Cycling, roller-blading, swimming and playing badminton, on the other hand, can very well be heart-racing, adrenaline-pumping, cardio-boosting feats. These group exercises also means that exercise time can double as much-needed family-bonding time as well.

3. Water’s the way to go

We all know the benefits of fulfilling the recommended intake of eight cups of water a day. In a perfect world, our children would drink plain water and abhor sugary carbonated drinks (they would also listen to everything we say, but that’s another story altogether). Unfortunately, real life is not quite so ideal and many of us have been countered with the classic refrain of: “Why can’t I drink Coke, that’s water too!”

Some tried-and-tested ways to get kids to drink their water is to buy fun-looking cups or make quirky ice cubes. Ikea has some great ice trays for making ice cubes of all shapes and sizes. If all else fails, a handy compromise is natural flavoured water. Add a slice of orange to your child’s water bottle, or make frozen berry ice cubes (simply add berries to the water when you make a batch of ice cubes). Such fruity ‘condiments’ add flavour to plain water without the high sugar levels of fizzy beverages. They’re also pretty to look at!

4. Get enough sleep

According to the National Sleep Foundation, children from the ages of 6 to 13 need at least 9 hours of sleep a day. By enforcing regular bedtime hours, kids will then get sufficient rest without experiencing lethargy and low concentration levels during the day. Experts also recommend that children do not watch television or use electronic devices an hour before bedtime, as the stimulus from such outlets may cause insomnia.

5. Healthy snacking

As much as possible, incorporate fruits and vegetables into the snacks you proffer so that your kids get accustomed to healthy food options from young. An example would be icy popsicles made out of fresh fruit juice– healthy and perfect for Singapore’s climate!

Another way of getting those picky sugar-eaters to consume something healthy for a change is to get them involved in preparing their own snacks, as making their own food creates a sense of ownership that in turn raises their receptiveness to foods they don’t usually like that much. This is in line with a cognitive bias known as the ‘Ikea effect’ (as coined by psychologist Dan Ariely), which describes the way people place a higher value on items that they have helped to assemble.

Said Belinda Tan, a mother of two: “My kids can be fussy eaters but when I get them to help prepare their own food, they are more likely to eat it even when it contains vegetables they normally won’t touch. The trick is to make it fun for them– sometimes we form animal shapes with peas and even though my son doesn’t really like peas, he will finish them!”

Of course, it’s imperative that parents set a good example for their children– if your kids see you consistently reaching for a bag of cookies, they’re not likely to be convinced that they should have an apple instead!

6. Learn to read, read to learn

Admittedly, it’s hard to compete with the vast plethora of iPad games out there, but as much as possible, strive to inculcate a lifelong love for reading in your kids. Studies have shown that reading prolongs a child’s ability to focus, stimulates interest in learning and enhances communication skills.
Read to your children as much as possible and supply them with a wide variety of books. Bedtime stories can be a great bonding activity and they boost your child’s vocabulary in the long run. You can also motivate your kids to read by creating a progress chart with stickers to keep track of the number of books they have read each year.

7. It pays to save

Sure, kids have yet to reach the age whereby they have to start worrying about the bills. But that doesn’t mean that they are too young to learn the value of money. Encourage your kids to save a portion of their allowance, so that they understand that money is not to be spent the moment they have it. It also imparts important values such as prudence and thriftiness.

Said Madam Tan: “Sometimes when my son wants a toy, I tell him that he has to pay for half of it with his savings. It forces him think twice about whether he really wants the toy and makes him value the toy even more when he finally gets it.”

8. Help out at home

Get your kids to pick up after themselves even if you have domestic help, as this will help to inculcate a sense of responsibility and independence– qualities that will definitely serve them well in school and at work in the future.

Whenever possible, let your kids take on manageable chores such as packing their own schoolbags, folding laundry and tidying up their rooms. Helping out around the house may also help to boost self-esteem, as your kids will be able to feel like they are contributing to the household.