1. Give Opportunities for Learning Responsibility
None of us started out as the responsible adults we are today. We learned how to be responsible over time by slowly taking on more and more responsibility. You can teach your child responsibility by giving her opportunities for learning responsibility. Giving these opportunities creates independence and dependability, and prepares them for facing life as they grow and mature. Start with small tasks while your child is very little. Begin with having her feed herself raisins. As she gets a little older, you could have her pick up a few toys. Eventually, you might ask your child to care for a family pet. Keep the tasks manageable and age appropriate.
2. Lead by Example
There is no better way to teach your child responsibility than to show her how you are responsible. If you behave in a responsible way, your child will follow your example. Let your child see you making the bed. Explain to your child why you are recycling cans rather than throwing them in the trash. Let her see you show kindness to a person less fortunate than you. Take her with you when you go to vote. Answer any questions she might have about why you do these responsible tasks.
3. Set Reasonable Standards
When you give your child a chore, make sure to set reasonable standards of how it should be preformed. Start by telling and showing her what you expect the chore to look like when she is done. Help her to finish the chore to this reasonable standard. Eventually allow her to complete the task without your help. If your child hits stumbling blocks for getting the task done, give her gentle encouragement.
4. Be Consistent
A key to teaching your child responsibility is being consistent. Since children learn gradually, consistency will help them understand what it means to be responsible. Your child needs your help in keeping commitments. When your child signs up for a soccer team, the other kids on the team rely on her to show up and do her best. Explain to her in a matter-of-fact way what happens to her teammates and the team as a whole when she does not go to practice or games. By helping her show up to every practice on time, she will learn that frequency and reliability are important parts of being responsible to others.
5. Reward for a Good Job
Your child will want to complete tasks and take on more responsibility if she feels something positive from her efforts. Start by telling your child how her chores are important to your family. When your child finishes a task, acknowledge what she has done and tell her how she has helped herself and others. For example, tell her that by taking the dog for a walk, she is helping keep the family pet healthy. Lastly, say something nice about her work. She will love hearing honest praise from you.
