May 19, 2021

Home Made Partners

Posted in coaching, development tagged , , , , at 7:16 pm by Yvonne LaRose

 

Gardening

Gardening © Viacheslav Iacobchuk | Dreamstime.com

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Sometimes we parents (especially single parents) get into a rut (or even a funk) about things that seem out of our control. Bad habits start to grow, become mountainous. Our kids are watching their role model and figure that’s what they’re supposed to be doing. They begin to start emulating our behaviors – good and bad.

As you’re seeing, just the way we handle our own selves has teaching effects on our children. Even innocuous daily activities and household chores influence our children’s development. Take charge of these influences; turn them into partnering activities where parent can grow out of the bad habits while offspring is learning to develop and nurture their own healthy routines.

Consider this as food for thought:

You want to get into better exercise habits. You want to develop better eating and dietary practices. What would happen if you had your child become your exercise buddies? Three times a week for, say 30 minutes each time. And it’s something the two of you do (like a contract or homework) on each of those days.

Kitchen and kids

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Kitchen and Kids/Parent Child © Evgenyatamanenko | Dreamstime.com

What would happen if you had your child start helping you with meal planning and figuring out better nutritional choices. That would involve creating a weekly meal plan, a grocery shopping list, a budget, finding and learning recipes. (Fun stuff done together.) Then the two of you are supporting one another to create a better lifestyle – nutritionally and in several other aspects.

On the computer

On the Computer / Parent Child © Evgenyatamanenko | Dreamstime.com

Could doing school homework become a fun activity? You need to figure out how to explain or demonstrate the principle. That means becoming creative about doing the explanation or having a hands-on application. You need to research that – your own self-prescribed homework for the child’s homework! The bonus is you’re still learning, becoming empowered, developing new knowledge and skillsets. Horrors! You might even cause yourself to be considered for a salary increase, promotion, or a new job offer!

Back to being partners, this time in the area of self rewards:

What if you two gave yourselves periodic rewards for achieving a particular goal:

  • Fulfilling a certain number of weeks of following your plan
  • Maintaining a certain weight or measurement
  • Celebrating a new physical fitness attainment

or whatever you choose that is a desirable goal. The trick is doing it together – with your “partner in crime” of murdering those old habits and mindsets.

On that note, why not create something to give one another acknowledgements and affirmations. For example:

  • A sticky note on the bathroom mirror that says,
    “You’re beautiful – even with that green stuff stuck between your teeth.”
  • Or a sticky note on the closet door that says,
    “Don’t open me yet. I’m still getting into that smaller size.”

Here’s a fun idea. A note on the inside of the bedroom door that says:
“No. Don’t go out there. Then the rest of the world will see how amazing you are.”

Remember, keep your partner involved in the healthy development of both of you.

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