15 5 650
A good habits list is like the foundation of a house. It has to be sturdy to bear the building’s weight and to avoid the whole structure collapsing.
A family list of habits is a powerful basis for a successful life.
In times of crisis, good personal habits act as a lighthouse to a floundering boat.
They steer you away from crashing and into the safety of calm waters.
Table of Contents
WHAT IS A HABIT?
It is an activity that is done on a daily basis and has a beneficial effect.
Examples of good habits are physical activities like exercising daily and healthy eating.
WHY ARE HABITS IMPORTANT?
Your beliefs become your thoughts.
Your thoughts become your words.
Your words become your actions.
Your actions become your habits.
Your habits become your values.
Your values become your destiny.
Mahatma Gandhi
Habits are linked to goals. For example, if you want to read a book a week, you will have to first cultivate a reading habit.
You may start with reading for 15 minutes a day and then over time increase the set time until you are able to read a book in a week.
So, a daily habit needs regular and disciplined practice for it to stick and for your desired goal to be reached.
THE BENEFIT OF A GOOD HABITS LIST FOR YOUR FAMILY
So, just what’s the deal with a list of habits for your family to follow?
Well, good habits have the power to transform the quality of the lives of your family.
They are like moonlight on a dark night: their vital function is to steer and guide you to live your life well.
/>
The positive effect of good habits is living a life that is marked by admirable morals and values.
These are especially important today when there are so many negative influences that can easily lead you astray.
An example is bullying at high school is very common.
If your teen subscribed to your good habits list, he would be able to stand up and refuse to conform to bullying.
In fact, he may vehemently oppose it by reporting it to the authorities.
A family good habits list acts as a guide and is the hallmark of the world’s most successful people.
For instance, a child learns early that if he wants to be a college professor, his grades have to be good.
So he develops good study habits and a great work ethic to help him make his dream come true.
GOOD HABITS FOR A FAMILY TO DEVELOP
1. A MORNING ROUTINE
This post describes a morning routine as:
a set of repeated actions performed in the same sequence to assure optimal productivity, focus, and creativity
You need to create a morning routine for your family that charges them with positivity for the day ahead. Click To Tweet
It must steadily gear them towards a can do instead of a can’t do mindset.
Some ideas for your daily morning routine:
– Get up early
– Deep breathing exercises
– Morning Yoga to a YouTube channel
– Reading from a Spiritual/ Personal Development text
– Reciting or writing out daily affirmations
Regular practice of this morning routine ensures greater productivity at school or work. This is the basis of a successful life.
2. A HEALTHY BREAKFAST

Ever had the embarrassment of your rumbling tummy betraying you in an important meeting?
This is probably due to your skipping breakfast.
A daily healthy breakfast:
– Gives you the energy you need for the day
– steadies the blood sugar level all-day
– Keeps you full all day
– Helps with concentration and productivity
Keep your breakfasts simple – oatmeal ( takes just 5 mins), topped with almonds and sliced fresh fruit, tea/ coffee/ fruit juice.
To help you save time and avoid skipping breakfast, draw up a breakfast menu.
For more quick easy ideas for breakfasts, check out this blog post by Eva of evainterrupted.com: Making the Most Out of Your Mornings (part 1).
Your family will be happier, healthier and more productive with this one simple change.
3. READING
Have you ever thought of making a special time for family reading?
In an article in Inc, Habits of the Most Successful Leaders That Can Change Your Life Too, Marissa Levin revealed the reading habits of a few world leaders:

• Warren Buffet reads 500 pages a day
• Mark Cuban reads 3 hours a day
• Bill Gates reads 50 books a year
If you’re anything like me, you’re dead serious about your role as a parent.
You want to give your kids every skill they need to have a successful life.
Reading, and a special family reading time is like a steroid shot to the brain.
If you need convincing, let’s take a look at some of the advantages of reading.
It:
– provides you with an escape from reality
– allows you to travel the world without the cost
– builds powerful values such as empathy and compassion
– improves vocabulary and makes you smarter
– develops analytical skills and improves the memory
– grows discipline
How to ensure success:
– tap into each child’s special interests to start off with
– get them to read a book about a sport they play
– invite them to read a book about a favorite movie
– be flexible about the choice of reading matter
– create variety with readouts from a favorite book
– once the habit has taken root, include audiobooks.
For more ideas on how to make reading a winning family habit, read Julie’s post 25 WAYS TO MAKE READING FUN FOR YOUR CHILD.
The rich tradition of reading will build family unity and loyalty.
It will be like you and your kids share a wonderful secret that few other families do.
4. HOBBIES
Wouldn’t you like your children to be able to hold their own in a conversation with adults? One way to make this happen is to encourage them to have hobbies.
Hobbies make kids interesting to engage with,strips them of their shyness and is brilliant for their self – esteem.
However, with the tech devices that kids have to keep them busy today, hobbies are not valued at all, But, they are a wonderful way to build a unique set of skills. Hobbies give children:
- a chance to satisfy their curiosity
- a way to explore their creativity
- a means to develop patience, confidence
- an opportunity to set and achieve goals
5. GARDENING
The glory of gardening: hands in the dirt, head in the sun, heart with nature
To nurture a garden is to feed not just on the body, but the soul.
Alfred Austin
Gardening is often low on the good habits list for parents.
Let me show you what I mean. As a family, you decide to start a garden.
Every step in the process taps into or teaches a vital skill:
• the location of the garden
• clearing the area of weeds and brush
• deciding on what to grow and when to plant
Decision-making skills such as consultation and negotiation are addressed.
As a family, you get the unique opportunity to bond while carrying out routine tasks such as weeding, watering, mulching, and harvesting.
Kids love the mucking about with water and sand, so it gives them the license to be dirty.
The added bonus is the physical exercise involved in keeping a garden.
Other benefits to your family are:
• patience and responsibility
• organizational skills
• a healthy appreciation for the beauty of nature
• a keen interest in eating what they grow
• an interest in cooking what they harvest
Get inspired to embrace the tradition of gardening and growing your own food with Gail’s amazing post, The Children’s Garden That Will Help Your Kids Bloom.
6. VOLUNTEERING
It is better to serve than be served.
Lailah Gifty Akita
The key, especially if you have teenagers, is to choose fun activities.
A few examples are:
• taking part in a charity fun walk or race
• a renovation project – a nursery school or old age home
So, why should your family volunteer?
Let’s look at the advantages:
• having quality time together helping the needy
• it’s an all-natural mood booster
• helps to reduce stress
• builds values such as selflessness, kindness, empathy, and compassion
• improves communication and socializing skills
• meet new people and make new friends
• learn new skills
The only cost to your family is the sacrifice of time.
But the rewards are lifelong strong moral values so sorely lacking today.
If you need to be persuaded more about the power of family volunteering, read WHY FAMILY VOLUNTEERING IS ESSENTIAL TODAY
7. FAMILY DINNERS
How often have the greatest thoughts and ideas come to light during conversations with the family over the evening dinner?
E.A. Bucchianeri

If you’ve ever watched the TV Series, Blue Bloods, you would have noticed the importance of family dinners.
Four generations gathered together around the dinner table chatting together at the end of the day.
But, the hectic pace and stress of modern life for parents and their kids has killed that tradition off.
Everyone is too tired after a long day at work or school to put in the time and effort to cook dinner.
There are also chores and homework to be done before the next day. So junk food or take out dinners become an easy way out.
But family dinners are a golden opportunity. You need to turn this into a fun activity.
Play some nice vibey music to signal the start of dinner prep and cooking.
Take turns to be head chef. Get the little ones to wash and shred lettuce for a salad, teens to prep veggies and hubby to marinate the chicken.
As you chop and dice, mix and slice, you chat about the events of your day.
In no time at all, a great healthy dinner will be ready but you’ve gained so much more than something to eat.
So just why should families have dinner together as often as they can?
• it’s quality, tech-free family bonding time
• it’s a great chance to truly connect with each other
Research shows other plus points about children who regularly have family dinners. They:
• develop healthy eating habits
• have a lower risk of having weight issues later in life
• have less chance of substance abuse as adults
Family dinners are also a powerful tool to build:
• social skills
• communication skills
• confidence
Long after your kids move out, family dinners will hold a special place in their memories.
They are a symbol of comfort and support, of love and nourishment and family loyalty.

YOUR TURN
This quotation sums up family habits perfectly:
A long healthy life is no accident. It begins with good genes, but it also depends on good habits.
Dan Buettner
So if you want a happy, rewarding life, you have to cultivate a garden of good habits.
What better gift can parents give their children than a tradition of good habits. They are the keys to a successful life.
Let’s recap:
A list of good family habits are:
– a great morning routine
– eating a healthy breakfast
– having a hobby
– gardening
– reading
– volunteering
– family dinners
Do you have habits which your family adheres to? Share your story in the comments below.
If you enjoyed this post, please help to share it on Pinterest, Twitter, and Facebook because parents need to embrace the power of good family habits.
15 5 650
I love this! I pinned it! I have been so “easy” on my family during this covid situation. We need to implement some of these habits!
Yes it’s important for kids to have structure to their days.
As a family, it is important to build good habits. All these habits are great ones to include in family life. My children are now young adults and we not only eat together we cook together, sometimes dinners, sometimes breakfasts. I think I may have taught my kids to enjoy cooking as their hobby. One of my goals is that at sometime throughout the year we as a family volunteer together at a soup kitchen.
Great. So glad to hear that your family bond over cooking and volunteering.
All of these are a great reminder of what I need to do. Thanks and happy new year.
From these, the most important habits I want to pass on to my kids (and actually work toward) are reading and hobbies. Self-development with these things is endless and will last well into adulthood.
Another plus is that the hobby could be a platform for a business later in life.
Really great tips thanks for sharing this
Nice read. Thanks for sharing. I also believe in having good family habits. I especially love having dinner as a family.
Our time with our kids is so short. We should strive to enjoy them but also impart to them a few essential values.
The healthy breakfast, gardening and dinner together are really great ideas to bond as a family. Thanks for sharing
So inspiring! Will definitely implement these in my family x
I enjoyed this post! Truly great advice and well written! Thank you!
Thank you for sharing 😊 Super helpful
This blog was so motivating! Such a good read!
Thank you
Pingback: 100 Success Principles You Should Teach Your Kids | Hess Un-Academy
These are phenomenal good habit routines and suggestions. I really try to impress a healthy morning routine. I believe that if we set the tone for an amazing day then it’s more likely to manifest. Thanks for sharing. More families could use this encouragement.
Yes, it’s important to start the day off on a positive note. A good morning routine does that.
I never thought of having an actual list of habits. This is a great idea.
They are all great ideas, but I must say I love the idea of enjoying time together as gardening or volunteering. I didn’t think about them as a possibility to spend great time together as a family, thanks!
Those 2 activities have multiple benefits – with gardening you getting them away from tech and out into nature and with volunteering you’re building their characters.
Helpful tips for healthy life style..
What an amazing list to help improve the life of your little ones and yourself! Will def try mediation with my kids and see how it goes
It can only improve their lives. It’s a great help with concentration and task completion too.
We definitely try to cultivate good habits in our household. I consider it important to my boys’ future lives outside of our home. I encourage them to help with chores and cook dinner, so they will know how to function as adults some day.
Great attitude. You’re empowering them with valuable life skills.
Pingback: Homeschool Preschool Schedule - My Learn Together
Such a great list of tips for those in need of additional parenting help. They say it takes a village, and the more knowledge and input you get can really help navigate those difficult situations that may not be common in your family unit.
Definitely, knowledge is power especially when parenting teens.
What a great list! I’ve started a morning routine for myself but haven’t included my young kids. Perhaps I’ll figure out a way to adapt it for them. We love gardening and volunteering but I’d never considered these to be habits. I like the way you’ve looked at them and broken each on down. Thank you.
It is important to expose children to good habits from an early age. It helps them cope better when faced with the challenges of the teen years.
Could habits be also a big part of goals?? I believe that habits are a great way to get yourself in a routine!
Yes, there is a direct link between the practice of good habits and the realization of goals.
Great post! I’m trying to be more intentional with my family as we go into a new year. This list is definitely helpful!
I’m so glad you found them helpful.
I love this! My husband and I are trying to conceive so this is perfect! We need to get into better lifestyle habits! <3
Good luck. It’s great for you to want to have the habits developed before you have children. It will be easier to model the habits to them and for them to follow.
This was such an awesome post for my family and I to reflect on before the new year! I will save this post and share with others! Love it!
It’s great to start the year off on a positive note with a list of good habits for the family to follow.
I cannot get out of my house in the morning without a solid and consistent routine. You see, I have a 7 year old son who is NOT a morning person and if we deviate from our routine it’s usually anarchy.
Yes, I agree. Good morning routines help to set the tone for the day.
My mom always says having a healthy breakfast is essential for a good start to the day !
Absolutely. If kids go off to school without having breakfast, they have issues with concentration. The same for adults.
These are all great habits! I used to be an avid reader, but lost that habit in recent years. I need to get that back in my life.
I also had to forsake my reading habit when I started blogging. The thing to do is to just set aside 15 minutes in the day for reading preferably at the end of the day.
Thank you! I definitely need a better morning routine.
This is so so wonderful! I am right there with ya thinking that every family should incorporate mindfulness into their daily routines! It is so important! Thanks!
Very interesting! If everybody would follow these tips, there would be so much more harmony within families. My biggest routine when the kids were younger was having dinners together. I have always insisted on that and that has given us including our many homestay students a lovely way of finalizing the day and chatting about how the day was. It has given my oldest daughter the interest in home made food, the youngest… time will tell.
You’re right. Eating dinner together is a unique way to bond as a family.
Thanks for sharing this helpful information. Good habits definitely build routines. Each morning, while the girls eat their breakfast we end with “morning talks with Trenye (mommy). “ as I sip my coffee
Since we decided to take our big daughter to a Waldorf school, we have been learning about routines and how good is for them. Thanks for this information!
Thanks for the tips to improve the family routine. I will try them.
Can’t agree enough! Some great suggestions here. Family dinner is huge in our household, as are some other habits such as sharing good deeds, thankfuls, and prayer before bed. We are the building blocks for our children.
Absolutely. We set the example of good habits and they follow even later with their own families.
Such a good list of ideas. I definitely need to start some of theee routines while my kids are young. Especially in the morning. Thanks for some ideas!
Great article. I especially agree about the morning routine. My kids and I have a morning routine and it saves us tons of time and stress in the AM.
I love this blog! Very informative. I’m a mental health therapist and have the opportunity to work with families on parenting skills, in their nature setting. I’ve always facilitated parenting groups.
Such a great idea, Poovanesh! I am always working on personal goals, but to do it at the level of the habit, rather than the goal seems pretty powerful – and then to add the family in. I think another great family habit would be to schedule family adventure – whether that’s a “family date” night once a week where you do something together or something you do once a month that’s a little more involved – like going to a tourist attraction, trying an escape room or something else that’s in line with what your family likes to do!
Wonderful idea Nicole. Kids would love the idea of an adventure. They’d be more likely to buy into the list of good family habits.
Good habits and healthy routines are so good for kids. I have so many students who could benefit from them. Most good students already have a repertoire of great habits learned from parents, but there are so many kids that don’t.
It’s important that parents use everything they can to raise a child with good values.
Every tip is so on point, I am a firm believer of dinner at the table with no tech or tv best time to enjoy with family. Thank you for the post!