What does it mean to stay consistent?

If your looking for a Nanny or Housekeeper in Atlanta, let’s face it. We live in a crazy, chaotic, busyness-filled culture that is begging for our attention while at the same time imploring us to make impromptu decisions. How does that affect our children? Whether we like it or not, consistency is vital to the growth and well-being of our children. Our society entices us to do whatever feels good or is easiest in the moment, but the longterm effects of that are probably not something we want to live with.

What is consistency? Consistency is defined as, “steadfast adherence to the same principles, course, form, etc.” The truth is, we all thrive when consistency is practiced. When consistency is practiced in healthy eating choices and regular exercise, our bodies benefit from it. When others treat us favorably with consistency, it gives us security and makes us feel loved. So what does it meant to stay consistent with children?

First of all, foundational principles need to be established in order to keep the parents, the nanny, and children on the same page. Consistent rules, attitudes, behaviors, and expectations should be well communicated and often. If it is a parent’s rule that a child must not watch TV until all of their homework is finished, the nanny must abide by that in order to establish consistency, no matter who is home at the time. This small adherence to the same principle not only gives the child security in what’s expected of them, but also teaches them discipline to prioritize their time with the most important things first.

Next, along with verbally communicating expectations to children and nannies, write them down! Consistency is hard to achieve if you cannot remember what your end goal is. One practical way to do this is to have a daily log or journal that encourages accountability and opens communication even further. This enables everyone to stay on the same page and keep the big picture in mind. Consistency is important, but it does take time to establish. When it seems too difficult to undertake, don’t give up! The tortoise didn’t win the race by sprinting, he won it by staying consistent.

So what’s the bottom line?

• Establish foundational principles first
• Communicate these with all involved
• Have a written game plan or goal
• Use a time journal or daily log to increase accountability
• Don’t give up!

Our culture teaches us to take the path of least resistance, to make the easiest decision no matter the consequences, and to live in the moment. The problem with all of these things is that they do nothing to build character or to teach responsibility. Staying consistent will not only establish good habits in the short term, but it will also build our children to be responsible, dependable, and disciplined adults in their future.

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