Parenting your child is the hardest job you will ever have, and it’s also the most important. The things you teach your child will shape their future as an adult, and you want to ensure your child grows up to be smart, strong, healthy, and independent.
While there is so much you will teach your child over the years, the following are four good habits you need to be sure to touch on as soon as possible.
Good Hygiene
Having good hygiene is important for your child’s health as well as his or her social life. After all, who wants to hang out with the smelly kid in class? Young children are especially notorious for going through a dirty phase, in which the thought of bathing/showering makes them throw a tantrum.
Although this phase is normal, it’s still important for you to instill good hygiene habits into your child. Teach your child how to correctly brush his or her teeth (as well as how to floss). Teach your child how to properly wash his or her hands.
Teach your child how to bathe, use soap, wash their hair, wear deodorant, and everything else associated with good hygiene. You should also teach your child about the importance of annual exams, whether an annual physical/health exam or an annual dental exam.
This will get your child accustomed to the process and help ensure they continue to follow this trend as they grow.
Manners
Teaching your child good manners will help them in the future. Being polite goes a long way, and teaching your child to be kind, as well as how to act appropriately, can be a huge benefit to them throughout their life.
Teach your child the importance of saying please and thank you, as well as other common manners, such as not interrupting people while they talk, how to eat and act while at the dinner table, how to hold the door open for people, etc.
Also, if your child is a boy, teach him how to be chivalrous so that this act of good manners doesn’t disappear over the years.
Hard Work Ethic
Too many children today believe that everything should be handed to them, and this type of behavior will only continue as an adult if left untreated. Do yourself and your child a favor and teach him or her about the importance of hard work.
Show them that working hard can help them earn the things they want. For example, give your child an allowance for certain jobs and allow them to use that money for what they want.
If they want something else and don’t have enough money, teach them to take on other responsibilities to earn that additional money. You should also teach your child how hard work can earn to recognition, such as promotions at work or earning special perks, such as being named captain of a sports team.
Financial Responsibility
Children have a hard time understanding that money doesn’t grow on trees, so teach them this at a young age.
Teach your child about the importance of money and how to use it responsibly. Teach your child how to budget, how to start a savings account, and even the responsible way to use credit cards.
This will not only educate them on how to handle finances when they’re older, but it can also keep them from getting into financial trouble at a young age, such as not paying a bill or damaging their credit due to maxing out their credit cards.
By teaching your child about money at a young age, you’ll make them a more financially responsible adult.
