How to Teach Personal Responsibility

Personal responsibility is a critically important life skill that can have a major impact on children throughout their lives. As parents and teachers, teaching personal responsibility is a tremendous responsibility in itself. By shaping children's understanding of responsibility at an early stage in life, you have a greater chance of molding their attitudes and behaviors. Teaching through words and actions can help to transfer solid character principles such as personal responsibility to your children in a lasting manner.

Instructions

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      Start teaching personal responsibility as young as the toddler years. Even young children can learn about actions and consequences. If you wait until a child is older, it may be more difficult to shape the way he thinks and behaves.

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      Model personal responsibility yourself through actions such as keeping the home clean, going to work, taking care of yourself and assisting your children with daily activities. Show your children how to have a good attitude about tackling personal obligations.

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      Give your child age-appropriate chores. For example, a preschool-aged child can be responsible for putting away her toys. An older child may have the responsibility of feeding the family pet.

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      Set clear rules and enforce them consistently. Part of learning personal responsibility is understanding that your actions have consequences. Even young children can begin to understand that only positive behavior is rewarded, which helps them to take responsibility for their actions.

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      Teach financial responsibility by allowing children to earn small amounts of money. Then instruct them on the advantages of saving the money for items that they want to buy in the future.

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      Allow children to experience natural consequences to their actions without "bailing them out." For instance, if a child forgets to bring in a homework assignment, you might want to refrain from bringing it to the school for him later. He may have to spend his recess completing the assignment, but he will be less likely to forget again.

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