No.12: New Habits, Little by Little – An Introduction

 So the question is not Am I teaching my child habits? The question is Which habits am I teaching my child? Yes, other influences may play a role, but it is the habits learned from parents that have the most impact upon a child’s developing character. {via}

Soooo… I’m kind-of on a new kick.  I’ve been reading a lot about Charlotte Mason and she was quite the advocate for habits.  She went beyond thinking of habits as just the physical things we do and connected them to character traits.  So, for example, when we teach the kids how to properly brush their teeth, we’re also teaching them the habit of cleanliness.  Or when we work on putting our toys back where they belong, we’re teaching the habit of order.  As a mother, I hope to raise children who grow up to be kind, generous, truthful, disciplined (and the list goes on and on…) adults and Charlotte’s viewpoint sounds like the most logical path to get to my goal.

As it should, this emphasis on habits has also made me reflective of my own behavior.  I can’t exactly have my children strive for excellence on a certain habit while being a total hypocrite myself.  So I’m committed to learning and growing right along with them.  Charlotte said, “It is pleasant to know that, even in
mature life, it is possible by a little persistent effort to acquire a
desirable habit.”  There’s hope for me!

So here’s the plan.  The full list of habits that Charlotte Mason provides is quite extensive and a bit overwhelming, but I’m going to intentionally choose one each month to work on as a family.  After a month or so, we’ll keep it on the back burner, still tweaking behavior as needed, and turn to a new one.  Little by little, I’m hopeful that we’ll all (even me!) grow in good habits.

P.S. I found this free e-book really helpful in learning more about Charlotte and her vision for executing habit training.

MENTAL HABITS

• Attention 
• Imagining
• Meditation
• Memorizing
• Mental Effort
• Observation
• Perfect Execution
• Reading for Instruction
• Remembering
• Thinking
• Accuracy
• Concentration
• Reflection
• Thoroughness

DECENCY & PROPRIETY HABIT

• Cleanliness
• Courtesy
• Kindness
• Manners
• Modesty & Purity
• Neatness
• Order
• Regularity
• Candor
• Courage
• Diligence
• Fortitude
• Generosity
• Gentleness
• Meekness
• Patience
• Respect for Other People
• Temperance
• Thrift

MORAL HABITS

• Integrity
• Obedience
• Personal Initiative
• Reverence
• Self-Control
• Sweet, Even Temper
• Truthfulness
• Usefulness

RELIGIOUS HABITS

• Regularity in Devotions
• Reverent Attitude
• Sunday-Keeping
• Thanksgiving
• Thought of God

PHYSICAL HABITS

• Alertness to Seize Opportunities
• Fortitude
• Health
• Managing One’s Own Body
• Music
• Outdoor Life
• Quick Perception of Senses
• Self-Control in Emergencies
• Self-Discipline in Habits
• Self-Restraint in Indulgences
• Training the Ear and Voice