Forming Good Habits
Keystone habits” like making the bed, journaling, exercising–which have a positive “domino effect” on other areas of our lives—are small actions that when performed regularly affect other parts of our life. These habits start a chain reaction and cause a series of other positive behaviors to occur. One example of outcomes from a keystone habit is when a family eats meals together regularly, kids are more likely to develop better homework skills, good grades, stronger emotional skills and more self-control.
Researchers have also found that keystone habits like making the bed regularly correlates to greater productivity, a sense of well-being, and stronger planning skills. Sounds like a prime keystone habit to instill in every child!
Reward charts (effective for many kids) can be a first step to motivate kids to follow through and promote good habits. Every morning your child makes the bed, give her a point, sticker or chip to acknowledge the task. Pick up a Toy“R”Us Toy Guide for Differently Abled Kids from your local Toys“R”Us [1] or Babies“R”Us store, online or downloadable app to browse the toys and let the kids decide which toy they want as a reward for good habits. 
[2]Establish a number of points per habit and the total amount of points needed for each toy.
Reward Worthy
Every time your child makes his bed, use a visible reminder and give him a point, sticker or chip. When they have collected enough points to earn a toy, it’s time to go shopping!
Here are a few of our favorite toys from the Toys“R”Us Guide we feel are reward worthy:
Radio Flyer Cyclone [3]– Kids can zoom, spin and grin using arm-powered action!
Tomy Chugginton Trains & Tracks [4] – Critical thinking skills get on board as kids get Brewster rolling around the track.
Hexbug Toys [5] – Children can hold the Nano Bug in their hands to feel the vibrations and stimulate nerves on the skin.
Fisher-Price [6] – Educational toys for infants, toddlers and preschoolers.
Reviewed by Ahren Hoffman
Helpful Books for Parents of Children with Special Needs
The Frugal Paleo Cookbook
by Ciarra Hannah, Page Street Publishing
[7]Cooking these 100 easy, wallet-friendly, Paleo recipes will help feed the whole family. Ciarra uses flavorful but less expensive cuts of meat in traditional yet approachable cooking methods, as well as her roll-forward technique for creating multiple dishes to maximize your time in the kitchen. You’ll love her keys to budgeting, tips for making items ahead of time, 5-ingredients-or-less seasoning blends and other money-saving pointers.
Amazon.com [8]
Patient’s Dental Handbook
by Robert Fullton McGee and Linda McGee ,Tate Publishing
[9]Have you ever wanted professional dental care but didn’t know where or how to begin? Are you looking for ways to have a perfect smile at an affordable price? The Patient’s Dental Handbook provides everything you should know before seeking dental treatment in order to make intelligent decisions regarding your dental care.
Amazon.com [10]
Do you have a product you would like to share with our readers? Please fill our form describing your product. We are happy to review your product. Visit https://www.parentingspecialneeds.org/submit/product/ [11] for the form.
Read More Products You Can Use [12]
Helpful Articles
- Important Life Skills to Teach Your Child with Special Needs [13]
- Puberty and Hygiene: How to Support Our Children [14]
- Puberty Help! Great Books to Help You with Questions and Challenges [15]
- A Complete Guide on Dental Care for Children with Special Needs [16]
- Starting Your Day off Right: Making the Most of Morning Routines [17]
- Establishing Routines at Bedtime {Tip 9 of 31} [18]
- The Importance of Teaching Children Body Safety [19]
- 4 Features of Total Fitness: The Foundations of Better Living [20]
- Journal Writing Can Help You to Reconnect with Yourself [21]
- 5 Tips for Bringing Exercise into the Daily Routine! {Tip 14 of 31} [22]
- Embracing Your Child’s Best Ways of Learning 12 Different Ways to Learn [23]
- Health and Wellness Tips: Tips for Digestion, Sleep, and Swallowing Pills [24]
- Being a Role Model [25]
This post originally appeared on our January/February 2015 Magazine [26]