7 Bad Family Habits to Break and How to Change Them to Good Ones

Bad habits are easy to pick up and follow, but the effects start showing on one's health and lifestyle. The sooner one realizes this, the better it is for one to change. You cannot all of a sudden put an end to bad habits, but you can change them with time. So, put in a little effort and with good habits, you can experience a transformation.

Bad Habit: The entire house has things in disorder, kitchen sinks stained, dusty rugs, sooty kitchen shutters, and the worst part is that you don't even have a place to eat or sleep, because it's either covered with toys or clothes. A home is a place where you feel relaxed and at ease. But when you are not putting any effort to clean your messy house, then the kids are getting a wrong message.

Changed Habit: Put on some loud music and hand over gloves and scrubbers to your family members and start cleaning. Gather your husband and kids and make cleaning fun and interesting, like who cleans more gets more points, and the member with highest points will be allowed an extra hour of sleep.

Bad Habit: Busy routines leave no time for workouts. But even when there is opportunity, we don't exercise. We engage that extra hour in sleeping or watching our favorite series. As parents if you don't exercise, it sets a bad example for the kids. Leading an unhealthy lifestyle can lead to serious problems like obesity and high blood pressure.

Changed Habit: Start listening to some motivating workout songs and make it a rule in the house that on weekends or mornings, the entire family goes for a walk or jog. Initially, start with a workout that can be done by all the members, then move on to individual preferences.

Bad Habit: Nowadays, it is rare to see the entire family having dinner together. The aroma of home-cooked food is now mostly replaced with the aroma of fast food and ready to cook food. Dinning table conversations rarely occur because someone is busy messaging on the phone or someone is watching television. The essence of family warmth is losing its charm.

Changed Habit: Be in charge and be stern about it. Even if everyday as a family you cannot have dinner together, make it a point to have dinner together at least once or twice a week. Collect everyone's mobiles and keep them away from the dining area. Make the place cozy and comfortable by dimming lights and lighting up candles. Voila! You have a perfect family dinner.

Bad Habit: In a family everyone has their individual jobs or routines but as work pressure increases, your family time decreases. Parents become busy in their own work shifts, and kids remain busy in their extracurricular activities. Nobody really knows what is going on in each other's lives.

Changed Habit: As a family, you people need to balance your work and personal life. Take time out of your busy schedule and plan for family get-togethers. Make a schedule and spare time where all the family members have to be present and abide by the schedule religiously. Go out for a brunch or play some family games, talk, and share your experiences and resolve issues. These activities make family bonding stronger.

Bad Habit: Every family has a member who is a shopaholic or spendthrift. Kids get spoiled when no one pays attention to how much they spend. Then, finally on a rainy day or an emergency, you don't have enough savings to solve your difficulty.

Changed Habit: Keep tabs on the allowance you give your kids and if they need more, go through their requirements and ensure that their demand is genuine, only then hand them the extra amount. Keep a record of monthly expenses and savings, then accordingly plan for the upcoming month and from savings always keep aside a fair amount for a rainy day.

Bad Habit: Many a time, it happens that anniversaries and birthdays just pass like normal days. And even if there is a plan to celebrate, someone definitely misses it. Work excuses need to stop for not celebrating anniversaries or special days.

Changed Habit: Plan special things for special days. Show commitment and don't let work come in between special moments. Keep the party small but do celebrate, because such occasions are the only moments that one can treasure.

Bad Habit: For every small reason the car is taken out, whether it is walking to a nearby friend's house or nearby school.

Changed Habit: Make a habit to walk and inculcate the same in your kids. Walking not only provides health benefits, it can also save you fuel.