Breaking Bad Habits: You Can Do It!
Learning Goals:
- Learn new words about habits and how to change them.
- Talk about bad habits we want to break and how to do it.
- Read about someone who successfully changed their habits.
- Listen to an expert talk about how to break bad habits.
- Write about a bad habit you are struggling with.
Key Words:
- Habit: Something you do often without thinking.
- Bad habit: A habit that is not good for you.
- Trigger: Something that makes you want to do the bad habit. (Example: feeling stressed makes you bite your nails)
- Replacement behavior: Something healthy you do instead of the bad habit. (Example: drinking water instead of soda)
- Self-compassion: Being kind to yourself even when you make mistakes.
Let’s Talk About It!
- What are some common bad habits? (Example: eating too much junk food, sleeping too late)
- Can you think of a time when you tried to break a bad habit? What happened?
- Why is it important to be kind to ourselves when we are trying to change?
Let’s Read a Story!
Alex stayed up too late every night and then drank too much coffee during the day. Alex realized this was a bad habit. They learned that stress and not planning their time were triggers for these habits. To change, Alex started meditating to relax and made a schedule to use their time better. Instead of coffee, they drank tea. It wasn’t easy, but Alex slowly made healthier choices.
Questions About the Story:
- What were Alex’s bad habits?
- What caused Alex to do these things?
- How did Alex change their habits?
Listen and Learn!
(Teacher plays a short clip of a psychologist giving simple advice on how to break bad habits.)
Talk with a Partner!
One of you has a bad habit. The other gives advice.
Example:
- Person 1: “I always snack on chips when I watch TV. It’s a bad habit, but I don’t know how to stop.”
- Person 2: “Maybe you could try eating carrots or fruit instead of chips. Or you could try doing something else while you watch TV, like knitting or playing a game.”
Homework:
Write a short paragraph about a bad habit you want to break. What is the trigger? What replacement behaviors can you think of?
Extra Fun:
Make a poster with tips for breaking bad habits. Share it with your classmates!
