Dear children

Remember I asked you about punctuality that day…

And I asked you if your friends were punctual and both of you straightaway replied ‘No’…

Unfortunately, both of you have had to adjust or accept your friends’  ‘schedule’ because of various reasons. ‘The person cannot wake up’,  or ‘she is my good friend’ or  it is ‘normal’ (of them to be late).

Why has it become ‘normal’?

Being late in the long term will affect your good health. A bad habit can spiral out of control and affect other aspects of one’s daily life. One ends up booking cabs (which can take a dent on one’s personal budgets over time) because one cannot wake up on time. Stress and insomnia set in because one does not meet deadlines. Taking care of one’s mental health is as important as taking care of one’s physical health. You can be addicted to a bad habit if you keep doing it repeatedly.

However, as you get older, there comes a time you will ‘auto-correct’ the negative bits of your lifestyle. You might be put in a position when you have to mentor a younger colleague or you become a caregiver of a child. And my tip to you in both scenarios show by example and coach them empathetically to work within boundaries. Boundaries keep them and everyone around them safe. It helps them live well too, physically and mentally. Relationships with others improve tremendously once negative habits wither off or intentionally stop.

The great news is, time is on your side. Anything you do now is still progress – in the right direction! Overhaul things gradually. Get back on track if you slip (you are human!) Keep a journal. Jotting down in a journal enables you to see clearly what you did, so that you can quickly see the areas to improve.

You got this!

Your caring mum