Teaching Responsibility to Children – Some Helpful Tips

Responsibility is an important lifelong skill, and it’s something we all learn about during early childhood. Responsibility is important both in the home and in the classroom, and an appreciation and understanding for this skill will help your child to become more independent whilst also nurturing other important values. Sometimes it can be difficult to teach responsibility, but here are a few helpful tips to make it easier.

Discuss the Meaning of Responsibility

Young children may not yet comprehend what it means to be responsible. Whilst responsibility is taught within childcare centres all around Australia, it can be helpful to have a discussion around the meaning of the word. Try to point out some situations where someone has acted responsibly, then ask your child what they think about this. It won’t take long for your child to be able to identify and understand the need to act responsibly, and they will utilise this skill for the rest of their lives.

Give them Age-Appropriate Tasks

There’s no use in overwhelming your child with complex tasks which they may not be ready for. Consider your child’s age, then try to come up with some age appropriate tasks which can teach them about responsibility. For example, you could start with a simple task such as asking your child to put their toys away neatly. This will be a lot less daunting than requesting them to clean their entire room, but it is just as effective at teaching responsibility.

Positive Reinforcement

Providing age-appropriate tasks is a great start, but children will still make mistakes. Whether your child didn’t complete the task to your expected standard or forgot about it all together, it is important that you do not berate them. Instead calmly explain the reason why the task must be completed. Once it has been done to an acceptable standard, you should offer praise for their efforts. It is best to avoid vague statements, instead try to elaborate on the benefit you/your family will receive. For example, if they’ve helped set the table, you could say something like “Thanks so much for setting the table, that saved me a lot of time. Now we can sit down for dinner!”

Set a Schedule

Kids function best when given a routine, so you might like to lay out a set of tasks on a noticeboard. This will make it easy for them to track and tick off their responsibilities, and in doing so you could also provide rewards to show your appreciation. Some ideas for scheduled responsibilities might include daily brushing/flossing of teeth, cleaning their room or helping to set the dinner table. Once these are done, they can be rewarded with some TV time or their favourite treat.

Give them Independence

Whilst it may be tempting to help your child out when they are faced with difficulty, you should try to resist doing so. It is important that children can learn how to do things for themselves and overcome difficult situations, and these skills will prove useful throughout their everyday lives. In time children will learn to respect your wishes, and by giving them independence you will be setting them up for a successful future.

Robyn Taylor Early Learning Centre Croydon – Empowering Children with Responsibility

All children grow and develop at their own pace, and as a parent we hope you found the above tips on developing responsibility in your child helpful. At Robyn Taylor we are committed to providing every child with a quality education whilst equipping them with the skills needed to succeed in school and throughout their adult lives. With an educational framework developed by a child psychologist of more than 40 years, Robyn Taylor are a leading choice of childcare provider in Croydon. Contact us today on 9705 8309, or click here to enrol your child.