Disclosure

Why is it that kids don’t want to do things that are good for them? Think about it… Exercising, eating their vegetables, showering, washing their face and hands and brushing their teeth are among the things that just about every parent struggles with at some point or another.

Inevitably, as kids get older, the issues are often the same just on a different scale or for other reasons. Instead of worrying about washing the dirt and leftover lunch off the faces of their toddlers, parents of teens are trying to teach adolescents how to ward off blemishes.

Ultimately, teaching good habits is the key to success to anything. We see it over and over again with our kids and it’s worth sharing some of the things we do.

Don’t laugh. I’m dead serious. Preaching and harping does not work. Did it work when you were a kid? I didn’t think so. While it is true that consistency helps breed habits, nagging can also hinder that. If you want them to develop good habits, you’ll need to find positive ways to make it happen.

I was a dancer growing up. When I was blessed with two little girls, I was sure they would follow in my footsteps. We signed them up for lessons and they just weren’t interested. They didn’t embrace it so we didn’t renew them the following year. Soccer and swimming were the front runners and they worked hard to achieve their goals. When the school introduced them to musical instruments, they asked us if they could participate. When we asked Madison why she wanted to play the cello, she proceeded to tell us not only what she liked about the cello but how the sounds differed from the other instruments she could have selected. It’s amazing to see how they have developed a passion for the sports and activities that they chose without us pushing it on them. This theory of empowering them can help create succes for everything from extracurricular activities to personal hygiene.

Collaborate on the Rules

The ability to create good work and behavioral habits is strengthened when children are able to set their own rules. No, that doesn’t mean they get to set their curfew at midnight. It means sitting down and having a discussion about what they think is appropriate and why. As an example, you may have trouble getting your elementary school child to get into bed on time. Discuss whether they feel they are responsible enough to get their pajamas on and brush their teeth without a parent asking. If so, ask if they think they deserve to stay up 15 minutes longer if they’re able to meet the objective. Adjust the discussion to fit each member of the family across a variety of interests, activities and obligations.

Give Kids the Tools to Succeed

Provide your child with what they need to make good decisions, develop great habits and ultimately succeed at what their task is. You wouldn’t expect your child to perform well in sports without the proper shoes, right? They can’t learn to play an instrument without an instrument to practice on. So if you want them to wash their face or brush their teeth, encourage them by arming them with the right tools. With built-in timers and the Kolibree app to encourage the proper techniques, the Kolibree toothbrush aids your kids in creating good habits. Look at it as a tool that will help them succeed!

Make Everything Fun

You have to agree that even adults prefer to do things that are fun or at least rewarding. Sometimes you have to be creative and make chores a game. “Let’s see who can pick up the most K’NEX pieces in 30 seconds!” With the Kolibree toothbrush, they created an app that makes brushing teeth a game. The first time we went to use the brush, I hadn’t charged it long enough so Kennedy was only able to play the ‘game’ on the app for a short time. She insisted on placing the toothbrush on the charger while she did the rest of her bedtime chores so she could come back and finish!

Kennedy is 11 so she’s already developed some good habits and is really good at brushing anyhow, but it is great to see that there are ways to ignite an interest in something that tends to get boring. And guess what. The Kolibree toothbrush isn’t just for kids! It’s good for adults, too!

Hopefully these tips will help your kids successfully create good habits. For the next few weeks, you can enter to win a Kolibree toothbrush. If you’re ready to jump in and get one right away, you can pick up a Kolibree toothbrush on Amazon or direct from the Kolibree website. Find out about their specials and promotions by following them on Twitter or liking their page on Facebook.

What are some things that inspire you to create good habits?

Kolibree Toothbrush giveaway

