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How to Raise Responsible Kids: Tips and Suggestions
By Andrew Loh
Many times, parents wonder and worry how they can make their kids get along with simple and basic duties, like brushing their teeth on their own; picking up toys; clean up the mess they create on their own and get ready to go to school on time. Teaching your kids to be responsible means that you are training them to be in their own control and making their own decisions. Being responsible also means that your children will need to be accountable and responsible for their actions and results, and face the emerging consequences for the resulting actions.
Under usual circumstances, it is the parent who commits the mistake of listening too much to their kids' untenable demands and needs. Some other time, parents may even avoid controlling their children to prevent fears of hurting their kids. Many parents believe that childhood is a not a time for self-motivated work, rather it is a time for unbridled play and enjoyment.
Training your kids to be self reliant and responsible can be a great way to make them succeed in their life. When you work harder to make your child responsible and self-initiated individual, you will also have the ultimate satisfaction of achieving something that is actually very tedious and difficult.
Here are some simple and basic guidelines and ideas that will help your kid learn the importance of being responsible:
Tip: Most common house chores and work could be a great way to teach your child how to be responsible. Chores and sundry house work will also act as a great fun time for every family member to unite together to develop a deep family bondage.
It is also very important to realize that learning new skills and responsibilities could take a long time, if not years or months. As a parent, you may wish to allow your kid to learn a new task on own and with his or her own initiatives.
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Prepare a list of light and non-complicated duties and house chores. You can even involve your child, while you are preparing the list. You will need to be very lucid, specific and clear, while preparing this list.
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Next, write down step-by-step instructions on a sheet of paper. Initially, you can create a list of instructions for just one chore. Never assign two or three house chores at a single time,
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Even, if you prepare a list of two or three duties, provide choices in assigning chores to your kids. If you have more than one child, you can rotate the duty alternatively between them.
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Do not be too pushy, while getting the job done by your kids. Never be too nagging while you are at work. Children may not like too much pushing and it may result in them showing disinterest in finishing the assigned job.
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Fix periodic brain-storming sessions to assist your kids remember their duties.
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Let the assigned jobs be a fun to carry out and complete. Remember that you are also trying to bring the whole family together.
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If there is any job that is dirty and unwanted, you can assign that particular job alternatively on rotation, so that everyone gets to taste that dirty job!
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The overall objective of this exercise is to teach your kids how to carry out a task on their own. As far as possible, avoid repeating the same job again and again.
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Appreciate the efforts put by your kids and reward them if you wish. Praising and showing appreciation work like an effective antidote. It will also motivate them to carry out difficult tasks and solve complex problems with ease.
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Check out that you are providing enough safety and security, while your kids are performing their jobs. Never allow your kids to work near potentially dangerous areas like hot gas stoves, on the high staircases, near the open window openings, inside the cars and working with hazardous and dangerous chemicals and poisons.
Another important thing to remember here is the parent's helping hand in providing help and assistance to the kids. Try to offer love, encouragement, and support and quality time, while you are making your kids work on house chores. Being completely responsible and independent could be a lifelong process. Your duty as the loving parent is to provide your kids a solid plan of action and a pathway to reach that cherished destination. Responsible kids could be your important assets and you will cherish them as long as you breathe and live!
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