Goals - kids

Yesterday as I was driving my kids to Taekwondo I was thinking about how I was accomplishing my first goal of attending Taekwondo 3x a week.  Then I got to thinking, "Wouldn't it be great if other people posted their habits that they were trying to cultivate and we could help motivate each other throughout the week?"  Then I looked in my rearview mirror at my three boys and thought, "Wow!  I have been really self centered lately  thinking about how I don't like the way I look, and how can I fix myself."  These children of mine need to develope some pretty important habits before they leave my home in a few short years.  I bet we can help each other out.

Last night I sat down at the dinner table and decided that instead of reading the scriptures as a family we would do a Family Home Evening (FHE) about cultivating healthy habits!  We discussed what the main answers kids give in church are: Pray, read your scriptures, go to church, etc...  That if a question is asked of you and you say that, you probably got it right!  However, is it important to know the answers when called on in church or to live the answers?  They all agreed that actually praying is better than just answering a question that the answer is prayer!

The kids agreed with me that it is easy to sit on the couch and watch TV instead of doing what you know you should be doing.  There are so many things that we should be doing that sometimes it is overwhelming and we give up completely.  Cultivating habits helps with this.  You make a habit of brushing your teeth and you will not have to think about it anymore or try to remember, you will just start to brush your teeth, or feel like something isn't right until you have done your routine of brushing your teeth.

For our FHE I asked the kids what they thought they needed to work on to develop into a habit.  I love my husband so much.  With every crazy idea I have he jumps on board 100% and gets behind me.  Case in point - MBA!  He caught on pretty quick what I was doing and jumped right on in with the lesson.  So here is a list of habits that my kids know they should be doing but don't.

1. Put toys away

2. Brush your teeth

3. shower

4. flush the toilet

5. put laundry in basket

6. make your bed

7. put your shoes away

8. put your backpack away

9. put legos away

10. put the recliner down

11. do your homework

12. work on scouts/personal progress

13. do your personal scripture study

14. say personal prayers

15. wash hands with soap and water

16. go to bed early

17. do your personal chores

18. bring your dirty dishes to the sink

19. respect personal property

20. stop interrupting

21. don't have accidents in underware - wipe better

22. what you take into the car you take out of the car

23.  Put folded clothes away.

I thought they did a fantastic job of coming up with things they knew they should be doing but have not made into a habit.