Habits

Working on instilling good habits in life is a process that never ends. I am diligent about this more now, because I've seen over the past two years with Tristan how a little annoyance becomes very damaging once it is formed as a habit. I'm reading a book on the subject by Sonya Shafer. She compiles all of Charlotte Mason's ideas about habit into one book, Laying Down the Rails. It's a really good read. I even enjoy reading it outloud to Tristan (and Ana). I like that I can read it whenever I have a few minutes, it's broken into little snippets and it is totally thought provoking and challenging. The concept of forming good habits in a child means once they are formed it not only becomes "easy" to acheive good behaviour (hygiene, study habits, etc.) it also makes life easier. The formation of good habits when a person is young allows them to challenge themselves in other areas once an adult, instead of having to constantly remind themselves to brush their teeth before work, or some other silly thing that was neglected in childhood.
On this note I am making up a morning and an evening routine poster for Tristan's room. It has simple things on it, in both words and pictures, like potty, making bed, brushing teeth and so on. Hopefully by having a visual, both he and I can remember the key things that need to be done both before we start our day and before we end it.
I'm hoping that this will help us form and keep good habits, some of which we have formed already, but some that need work.
Another thing about habit is it is easy to fall out of a good habit, and a little diligence at the beginning is needed.
Well, that's all for today, I have housework to get to. Thank God for Afternoon naps!