By Marissa Abernathy, eHow Contributor
1 Be Proactive
o The first habit encourages children to
be proactive, taking the lead and making the best of any situation. Create a
worksheet for the child to write down all the emotions over which he or she has
control when frustrated. Younger children can draw faces to illustrate choices
they can make regarding their feelings. For example, they can draw happy, sad,
brave, scared, excited or bored faces.
Begin
with the End in Mind
o Teach your child or student that goal-setting
is important. You can use a variety of activities to reinforce this lesson.
Give your child a deeper perspective by discussing a larger family goal and
exploring how this project fits into his or her plan. If your child is
interested in space exploration or other career paths, discuss the goals they
have for the future and the impact they can have others.
Put First Things First
o Ask children to create a list of
priorities. For younger children, suggestions might include simple objects like
a favorite toy or more abstract concepts such as joy and love. Print pictures
and put the items in order from most to least important. Allow older children
to classify basic objects as a "need" or a "want." Explain
the difference between food and water (needs) or treats and toys (wants).
Think Win-Win
o To illustrate win-win thinking, give
your kids a choice of foods and ask them to help you prepare the family meal on
which they decide. If they participate in the process, they can choose the
foods they want to eat and how they'd like to cook them. At the same time, mom
or dad stay involved in the decision -- a win-win for everyone. Other
activities that illustrate this concept could include gathering up toys a child
may no longer want and donating them to charity. Explain how donating items
frees up space for new things, while also benefiting others. Children can
create crafts from recycled materials, pick up trash at a neighborhood park or
participate in other projects that improve the world we live in by reducing
waste. This is a win-win for the community, companies and our whole country.
Seek First to Understand, Then to be
Understood
o Empathy is best learned when practiced
with friends and family members. For an activity reinforcing this principle,
have a group of young friends or classmates each gather a favorite item. After
each child has an opportunity to describe his favorite game or toy, ask older
children to repeat what they learned about each object and why it is special.
Allow the children to take turns sharing the items with others and then see if
anyone can remember the rightful owner of each object. Mimi Say -
children need to be repeatedly informed to express themselves to peers or
adults of their feelings. This is to avoid being misunderstood. Teachers need
to show empathy if a child is misunderstood. By always asking children the
reasons they felt such way, teachers are leading by good example.
Synergize
o Two people can have a greater impact
than one person working alone. Numerous activities can be utilized to
demonstrate this concept. Encourage children to work together to achieve a
common goal. After a game of tag or a team-oriented outdoor activity, ask
children to describe how they all worked together as a group. Mimi Say -
Team-building activities can include relaying walk (for preshooler) with ping
pong balls in spoons, completing an art collage, cooperating with each other in
making charity items for sale etc.
Sharpen the Saw
o The "sharpen the saw" habit
encourages children to build their mind, soul and body so that they can give
life their all. For this habit, kids can use a journal to document personal
progress and achievements. There are all kinds of self-improvement goals toward
which students can strive. A health journal can include goals to exercise
several times a week or a eat foods from each of the different food groups.
Students can also participate in a summer or weekly reading program and set a
goal to read a minimum number of minutes each day
Read more: The 7 Habits of Happy
Kids Activities | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/info_7948210_7-habits-happy-kids-activities.html#ixzz1pX9zKDYa
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