Summer reading: The 7 habits of happy kids

July 13, 7:33 AMPhoenix Working Moms ExaminerMichele Dortch

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One of my favorite books is The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey. I was first introduced to Covey's book in 1985 and have applied its principles to my life ever since. For working moms, it's required reading.

When I learned that Stephen Covey's son had written a children's version of the book, The 7 Habits of Happy Kids, I marked my calendar to buy it the day it was released (September 2008). The book has been a family favorite ever since.

Written by Sean Covey 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 original The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People book, reading the children's version with your kids for 15 minutes a day is a great alternative!