There are some books that become timeless additions to your library. The 7 Habits of Happy Kids by Sean Covey is one of those books. Although the book is newly released, the principles in it have been with me for more than 20 years.

When I was 14, my father brought home a fresh copy of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey. The book was a required text in one of his MBA courses and he was excited to share the insights he learned with his family. Of course, learning how to be more effective was the last thing on my mind at the time, so I graciously accepted the book and even flipped through it before placing it on my bookshelf to collect dust for the next five years.

I didn’t pick up the book until I was a sophomore in college and struggling to maintain a full course load alongside a full-time job. My life was far from effective as I rushed from place to place and barely managed to keep my grades above average. I was desperate for a solution. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People became my lifeline. I devoured it – highlighting passages, studying the examples and applying it to my life. After graduation, the book was once again carefully positioned on my bookshelf. Ironically, it sat on my shelf for another five years.

While working my way up the corporate career ladder, my then employer asked me to become certified to teach The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People workshop for the company. Of course, I willingly accepted the opportunity to reunite with the book. Since then, I’ve taught the program countless times and have sought to apply its principles into my everyday life. The book was actually one of the motivating forces behind me leaving my traditional full-time job in 2003 to pursue the entrepreneurial career I now enjoy.

As you can see, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People book is a constant in my life. I’ve been married to its principles longer than I’ve been married to my husband! Every day, I do my best to live out the principles in the book. In the more than 20 years the book has been a part of my life, I’m far from mastering the principles. In fact, I’d estimate that I’m about 65-70% there. In the remaining 30-35% of my life, I endure an unbelievable struggle to integrate my work/life in a meaningful way - just like every other working mom.

When I learned that Stephen Covey’s son had written a children’s version of the book called The 7 Habits of Happy Kids, I marked my calendar to buy it the day it was released. The sooner I can integrate the 7 Habits into my children’s daily life, the better.

Written for children four through eight, The 7 Habits of Happy Kids teaches children the original 7 Habits in a fun, creative way:

1. Be Proactive = You’re in charge
2. Begin with the End in Mind = Have a plan
3. Put First Things First = Work first, then play
4. Think Win-Win = Everyone can win
5. Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood = Listen before you talk
6. Synergize = Together is better
7. Sharpen the Saw = Balance feels best

Set in the Seven Oaks and centered on eight primary characters, your children will come to love the stories and you’ll appreciate the practical applications.

The book is artfully illustrated and presents issues that are extremely relevant; for example, one story is titled “I’m Bored,” which attacks the “It’s your job to entertain me, Mom” issue that we all face. My children immediately related to the stories and characters. I was surprised at how motivated they were to change their behavior after reading the stories in the book. To help facilitate this change, Covey concludes each story in the “Parents’ Corner” where you discover simple, practical ways to bring the principles to life. There are engaging discussion questions and thoughtful action steps for your children to follow.

What’s more…you’ll learn. As you read the stories, you’ll capture nuggets from the original 7 Habits book. So if you’re too busy to read the full, adult version, reading the children’s version with your kids for 15 minutes a day is a great alternative!
Buy The 7 Habits of Happy Kids

Michele Dortch is a mother of three, freelance writer and owner of The Integrated Mother®, a blog and human resources consulting practice specializing in work/life effectiveness. You can learn more about Michele at http://www.integratedmother.com.

Copyright 2008 Michele Dortch