It can feel like an uphill struggle when you try to instil new habits. There always seems to be resistance regardless of the reward. Change is difficult especially when the new direction is not clear. This makes it difficult to keep track of the return you are getting for the effort.
I decided to learn to play the guitar and that got going with a full head of steam. I now have a guitar and The Complete Guitar Guide which is rapidly disappearing under this week’s letters on my desk. I need to work out a time slot for practicing that will be sustainable and not disturb others as they sleep. This is not as simple as I envisaged.
I am still evaluating the effort. Because there is no set goal and no time limit, this as a project is running the risk of not getting off the ground. I am sure the book will help with this so the main action now is to ‘just do it.’ The Ready, Fire, Aim method applies here.
Every evening when Big Son comes out of the shower there is a ritual of asking him if he washed his hair. We will then smell his hair and send him back to wash his hair properly. Exasperating for everyone. The last straw came and he pranced out of the room shouting “How am I to do it right when I don’t know what the standard is!”
We laughed hard but took it seriously because he was right. We’re asking him to do something with as vague a description as possible. “Wash your hair” is a very easy task to accomplish and he has been doing this regularly. That night we worked out what the standard is and so far, much less dramas surrounding this.