Back to school routines have me thinking a lot about habits and how we can alter the course of our lives by creating good ones and breaking bad ones. “Your habits will determine your future,” said Jack Canfield, the author of Success Principles. I am convinced of this truth.
Last year, getting off to school was a struggle every morning. I ended up frustrated, my kids were anxious, we rushed, we missed breakfast, we fought and we forgot stuff every day. We started a new school after a year of homeschooling, and it was my first time having two kids to get ready in the morning, while also dealing with a 1-year-old and being pregnant. The year started off chaotic, and we never really got out of it, but this year, I’m determined to change that.
My husband is the structured one in the family, and he is always trying to make our lives easier by creating good habits, so he made a new rule. When you get home from school, you immediately get all of your homework done. I added that the kids had to empty their lunch box, remake it for the next day and lay out clean outfits. No TV or play dates until we are reset and ready for our next 6:30 a.m. wake up. Sounds pretty intense and soldier-like compared to my free-for-all ways, but it has been revolutionary. My kids are so motivated to get their stuff done, they are ready to go for the next day 30 minutes after getting home from school, and for the rest of the night, we can relax. What usually would take an hour of yelling at them is now done without struggle.
So far we have only had one morning fight! My mind is blown. My oldest is in the car on time, and we actually smile at each other on the way to school. This is my husband’s parenting win, not mine. If we can stick to this routine for 21 days, research says it will become a habit, and if we can stick to it all school year, I think my kids could carry this with them forever. I hope to raise them without my epic procrastination skills.
All of this logic comes from an amazing book I read 10 years ago: The Slight Edge by Jeff Olson. It basically says you can make radical changes in your life or you can make incremental changes. Both work, but incremental ones almost always last. Tiny shifts and slowly forming new habits may feel uneventful, even trivial, but over time, they are seismic in life. As a parent, it’s now my mission to search out all of the habit adjustments we can make so my kids are set up for a beautiful life.
After all, that’s our main gig right? We are habit guides for our kids, teaching them daily discipline and helping form neural pathways that create a road map to success! What a responsibility. I am definitely keeping the habit of special treat celebrations for every little thing because that’s the #goodlife.
—XO Katelyn
Katelyn Young is a local mom of three (her #crumblycrew) who shares real moments of motherhood as it relates to fashion, food and fun! Follow her on Instagram @_katelynyoung_ or follow her blog at thebejuledlife.com.
