Easy Ways To Teach Your Kids Responsibility

A friend of mine was venting about her nephews. She was telling me how frustrated she was with the fact that they are 12 and 13 years old yet still leave wet towels on the floor, never clean their plate from the dining room table, and have to be told repeatedly to pick up after themselves.

Teaching children responsibility can be tough, sometimes it is easer to just clean up the mess yourself than to take the time to have your kids learn and help you with the chore.

But in the end these shortcuts actually hinder a child’s ability to learn how to do basic tasks on their own in a confident and habitual manner.

If your child is hungry consider teaching them how to make a snack for themselves. It’s easy to show them where the snacks are, how to prep foods that are safe for them to prepare, and how to clean up any mess they make when doing so.

These habits might seem minuscule but they don’t just develop naturally over time. It’s a learned behavior that must be instilled at a very young age, around four and five years old.

Yes! Showing kids at a young age to put their bowl in the sink when they are finished, or to place dirty clothes in a hamper is simple and important.

Not only will these habits form quickly, they will make your child more mature and responsible. It will also help them develop problem solving skills.

Children love routine and to feel like they are included with the grownups. They enjoy feeling like they are helping with an adult task. Why not make it fun while also instilling great habits?

Make it a game to clean up their bedroom or make their bed. Also, don’t complain if the sheets are not perfectly tucked in. The point is they are trying and learning. Perfecting the task will come, the fact that they are taking it on is what we are looking for when teaching them how to be proactive and responsible.

They will begin to have pride in their things and take care of of their belongings. When they see the hard work they had to put into their chore they will be more inclined to maintain its integrity.

Instead of moaning and groaning about them being lazy start making them be accountable for their actions. Because the longer they remain unaccountable the harder it will be to instill habits of responsibility.

Think about it. Does any parent look forward to a teenager who can’t hang up a wet towel or make themselves a sandwich? It’s not that they physically can’t hang up the towel, it’s that they don’t think to hang up the towel.

There is a sense of entitlement that the world, or their parent, will do everything for them. Reality is the world will not take care of them and they will feel dumbfounded and ill equipped when reality hits.

So teach your kids how to be responsible children. They will only grow to be responsible adults.