When I became a mom, I picked up some interesting habits: the two-minute shower, the no-hands diaper check, and the sway-bounce-bounce-sway movement when holding any child under 2. And let’s not even talk about the practice of eating what my kids left on their plates and calling it lunch. I’m sure you’ve picked up some noteworthy habits along your motherhood journey, too.
However, if you’re like me, those particular habits aren’t necessarily the ones we want to pass on to our young kids–especially that lickety-split shower. Kids need a bit more time washing up! Instead, here are 5 healthy habits for kids worth cultivating.
1. Take breaks.
Our culture places a high value on a strong work ethic, so this habit may seem counterintuitive. But, it’s not. Taking breaks greatly improves focus and attention and increases creativity. In elementary school, our girls’ teachers built in “brain breaks” during the school day to, well, give the brain a break. A break might be standing up and stretching, doing some deep breathing exercises to relieve test anxiety, or playing a game. So, chances are your child’s teacher already started instilling this habit in your child.
Want to teach this habit at home? Well, the next time your child feels stuck on a homework problem or lacks inspiration on a project, encourage her to take a brief break—play outside, listen to music, or challenge each other to a joke-off! (Try these jokes to get the giggle break started.) 
2. Follow a sleep schedule.
At around 8 and 6 years old, our girls begged us to stay up all night and watch a movie marathon. We gave in under the condition that they kept the TV volume low so we could go to bed. But, we didn’t need to worry. Both kids fell asleep on the couch by 10:46 p.m., and the stack of DVDs sat unwatched.
Our bodies need sleep. We can try to stay up all night, but eventually, our bodies shut that idea (and our eyes!) down. However, it’s not just about getting enough hours of sleep; it’s also about following a sleep schedule. According to a research study published by a team from the University of Michigan, variable sleep schedules lead to bad moods and more depressive symptoms. So, Mom, pat yourself on the back. Making your kid go to bed at the same time each night really is what’s best (and it’s one of the top healthy habits for kids)!
3. Speak kindly about yourself.
Teaching your child to speak kindly about himself builds positive self-esteem and supports overall mental health. By nurturing positive self-talk, you equip your child with one of those healthy habits for kids that enables him to face challenges with resilience. Plus, when your child practices self-compassion, he’s more likely to treat others with kindness and empathy.
When your child practices self-compassion, he’s more likely to treat others with kindness and empathy. Click To TweetTry this simple research-backed method to increase the likelihood of self-compassionate talk. As published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, studies show that replacing “I” with our own names leads people to speak more kindly about themselves. Encourage your child to speak about himself using his name. So, for example, you might overhear your child saying: “I can’t do it. It’s too hard.” Reframe his self-talk by leading him to say: “Justin can do hard things.”
4. Keep learning.
I’m not old, but I’m old enough to remember learning how to type on a typewriter in high school. Our teacher drilled into our heads to double space after a period. But by the time I worked at my first professional job, computers had replaced typewriters, and that double space retired for good, which meant my typing fingers needed some retraining.
Teaching your child to keep learning is essential in our ever-evolving world. The rapid advancement of technology means that the skills and knowledge acquired during childhood will need continual updating. Encouraging a growth mindset habit in your child helps her become more adaptable and better equipped to tackle new challenges. When she embraces the idea that her abilities can be developed through effort, she’ll see challenges as opportunities to learn rather than as threats to her self-worth.
5. Spend time with people who matter to you.
With a heavy academic load and commitments after school, our oldest daughter stays busy. However, she’s learned hanging out with her loved ones helps her better manage her stress. Encouraging your child to spend time with people who matter to her creates a healthy community of supportive friends, family, and mentors who believe in her and will help her grow into her best self.
It’s never too early to start teaching your kid to get into the habit of spending time with loved ones. You model that habit each time you create space in your busy schedule for one-on-one time with her, eat dinner together as a family, gather with relatives over the holidays, or even meet up with your monthly book club. As your child grows into the tween and teen years, her calendar will probably get as packed as yours. So, it’s important for her to get into this habit now.
What are your favorite healthy habits for kids?
