Here are 5 Ways to Help Your Child Understand Responsibility.
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Learn ways to help your child understand responsibility. We all wish to raise responsible kids and desire to live in a world where others have been brought up to be responsible. A world where grownups don’t shrug off their duties as citizens.
So how should you raise your children to teach them to take responsibility or help your child understand responsibility for their choices and its impact on others?
Here are some everyday strategies ensured to grow your child’s responsibility ratio, focusing on aiding your kid take charge of their life. In addition to age-appropriate responsibilities.
1. Make it Fun for Your Kid
Start by looking at responsibility as something pleasant and enjoyable for your child, rather than a burden. Every kid wants to see themselves as powerful – responsible and able to react to what needs to be done.
Kids don’t wish just to be doted on. They care for their self-esteem the most, and they want to give meaning to their lives. They want, like all of us, to feel that they matter to the world and are giving something worthwhile to society.
You don’t actually need to teach children to manage themselves responsibly. You only need to show them the power they have to contribute to the world positively. The point here is that kids will be responsible to the level we support them to be.
2. Show Them How You Manage Everyday Chores
Start by helping your kid until he or she learns it all. They’ll learn quickly if you are kind and cheerful about it. Don’t worry over the spilled milk. Urge your kids to help you by giving them a sponge as you hold one up yourself, even if it’s easier to just clean up the mess by yourself.
Unless you get judgmental about it, they will not be defensive. And they’ll help in cleaning the mess and making things better. For instance, whenever your toddler drops anything, say, “that’s ok; we can clean it up together.” Take one paper towel for yourself and hand them another. With a light-hearted and positive approach, you can teach your child not to whine that we must do the cleanup. Make it even more fun by singing a clean up rhyme with them.
3. Let your Children “do it myself”
My first word as a baby had been “ha-te” which is a Gujarati word that translates in English to “I’ll do it myself”. I always wanted to do things on my own. Or at least try it out by myself. My parents allowing and guiding me do that has been imperative in my life.
No matter how busy you’re, spare time to teach your kid “how to do it myself.” Toddlers desperately want to control and rule their physical worlds. When you support this, they intervene in the obligation of being “response-able.” So, rather than hastening through the list, reframe it.
You are working on your child to help him explore the happiness of contribution. It is more important than having the assigned task done correctly or quickly. Observe that you’re also bonding, which is what encourages children to keep contributing.
4. Give Them a Chance to Contribute to Common Good
As your kids get older, their share in responsibilities should increase in a proper pattern, both inside and outside the house. Kids must grow with two forms of responsibilities; their self-care and contribution to family welfare.
Research shows that children who help in household affairs develop the habit of helping in other situations. Else, they’ll just care for themselves. Obviously, you can’t expect them to build up a helping attitude overnight. It’s better to add responsibility in an age-appropriate manner steadily.
Ask them to set plates, put napkins on the table, match socks, groom the dog, clear the table, water the plants, and help in folding the laundry. These are all tasks that allow bonding time with your child while allowing them to feel like they are contributing.
5. Appreciate Your Kid
All kids contribute responsibility in their day to day activities in some way. Look out for those ways and talk about them. Even if it is just observing when they are kind to their little siblings or that you like how they shared a toy. Verbalize your observation so that they know what they’re doing is right.
Whatever behavior you’ll appreciate and talk about will help them learn responsibility.
So, are you ready to show, teach and help your child understand responsibility and not fear it? Start today and see your kids grow the right way.
xo, Zarine
