How to Teach Your Child to Be Responsible

Allow the consequences to speak for themselves. For example, if a child leaves something at her friend's house, she will be without it until she either revisits or the friend comes to see her. This will teach her to be responsible with her things.

Make the punishment fit the crime. This teaches a child fairness, as well as moral development. For example, if your child spills something, an appropriate response is to have him clean it. If he doesn't come home on time, impose an earlier curfew for the next night, or don't allow him to go out for the night.

Don't use rewards for good behavior. If a child always is thinking about what she will get if she is responsible or helpful, she won't learn the intrinsic value of the act. Instead, praise her for her actions, which will do much more for her than any material reward.

Find incentives that will encourage your child to act in a responsible manner. For example, after explaining that dirty clothes should never be left out and should instead be put in a hamper, provide your child with a hamper of his own. It can be something he picks out or you can add to it, such as putting a hoop above it to encourage him to "shoot" his dirty clothes into it.

Make your child in charge of something that is helpful for the whole family. For example, have him set the table for family dinners. Keep this simple for small children, using only plates, cups, forks and spoons, not knives. When everyone is seated, be sure to praise her for what a good job she did.

Set up a rules, consequences and chore chart. This helps keep everything very clear about moral and personal obligations. Children like definition and knowing what to expect. It's critical to always follow the consequences, so that your child knows wrong is always wrong.