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As your kids grow older, it will start to dawn on you that you need to put in some extra effort to teach them responsibility. Think about it, we all want to live in a world filled with responsible adults who can be held accountable for their actions. Based on that, a major contribution to society like is raising your kids to be aware of when and how to clean up their messes. Obviously, the best time to teach responsibility is when they are young, at that point, they are like sponges looking to soak everything up.
Besides, when they’re old enough to be out on their own in the big world, you want to be confident knowing that you’ve taught them how to handle themselves in a responsible way. To get you started on this journey, here are four ways you can teach your little one’s responsibility.
One way you can teach responsibility is by encouraging your little ones to help out in the kitchen. Most young children enjoy being in the kitchen, so this shouldn’t be too difficult to pull off. Keep in mind though that having little kids in the kitchen can slow things down a bit, but in the end, it’s all going to be worth it.
Even better, it will teach them how to follow instructions when necessary, after all, that’s what recipes are all about. When they do what they’re told, try to praise their little efforts by pointing it out and saying encouraging statements.
This doesn’t only reinforce good behaviour, but it helps build their confidence. Some things you can have them help you out with include bringing dirty dishes from the dining room into the kitchen, and even putting their own school lunches together. You can just lay out some packages of food that you’ve chosen on the counter and have them pack what they want.
Another way of teaching little kids to be responsible is by motivating them to help out with their own self-care. By the age of 5 or 6, kids usually have a solid idea of what they like and what they don’t like when it comes to clothes. So, at this stage, you can have them pick their own outfits for school or outings.
You can also teach them to put their dirty clothes in a laundry basket and to clean up after themselves when they’re done playing with their toys. The idea is to have them know that they have tasks they need to do, and with time, they’ll be able to form a sort of routine.
Here’s the thing, you don’t need to enforce this every day; naturally on most days, you’ll probably want to do these chores yourself to speed it along. However, as much as you can, allow them to carry out these little jobs for themselves.
Sure, they’re kind of already obligated to do their homework, but sometimes, getting kids to do their own homework can be a really difficult feat. But there’s an alternative, instead of trying to force them to complete their homework every single time, allow them to deal with the consequences of their actions.
Now, this might seem like a harsh approach, but in the long run, you’ll come to appreciate this decision. You can start the first couple of weeks by asking them to do their homework before dinner. Then proceed to leave them to take up the responsibility on their own.
Since they’re still kids, drop a little reminder now and then, but don’t try to force them to do the actual. If they come to you for help, by all means, assist them, however the whole point to show them that their homework is their responsibility. You can even take it up a notch by having a little chat with their teachers to let them know what you’re trying to achieve, so don’t let them down a bit too easily.
Now if you already have a pet, this is a great way that you can teach your kids to be responsible. But if you don’t have a pet, and have been considering getting one, think hard about the animal you’d like to for. The go-to is usually a dog or a cat, but for little kids, these animals might be too much to handle.
In that vein, birds make unique pets since they are a bit more low maintenance compared to dogs, so you might want to take that into consideration. Nonetheless, pet care can help your kid develop a sense of accountability. You can start out by giving them little pet-related tasks such as feeding and giving water to the pet on a regular basis.
Discuss the consequences of skipping a meal or drink with them, so they really know what’s at stake. However, try to keep an eye on their ‘jobs’ so that if they forget, you can do it yourself or remind them to do it. You’re trying to teach them life lessons, not scar them.
This is a collaborative post.
Welcome to Birds and Lilies! I'm Lou: mother, blogger and freelance writer. This is my lifestyle blog, where I talk about motherhood, infertility and IVF, beauty, my love for food and wine, as well as my thoughts about stuff, and our real-life and travel adventures.
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