Responsibility and accountability are two of the most important lessons for children to learn. Without these lessons your children won’t be able to take care of themselves, or learn to respect items or even other people. Responsibility is key. All adults need to be responsible, because they are accountable for their actions. That is why you need to lay out clear ground rules and consequences for your children ahead of time. To truly teach your children the lessons of responsibility they need to become well-adjusted and independent adults use these five methods.
Make Them Responsible for a Pet
Getting a pet while your child is still young is a great way to teach them how to be responsible. Dogs in particular are so beneficial to children. They offer loving support, can help your child develop social skills, and most importantly, can teach your child responsibility. To maximize the responsibility that owning a dog can teach your children, you need to get them to help you take care of your new pet.
1. What Your Child Will Do
The responsibilities that you should give your child will depend on their age. All children, however, can help you take care of your new dog.
2. Training the Dog
Both your children and your new pet can benefit from puppy training. This is because your children need to learn the commands and tricks so that they can help continue the training when you are at home. You also need to get them to help you make your new puppies routine, and to also enforce the ground rules you have set into place. Remember, however, that rewarding your puppy with Betsy Farms treats for dogs, instead of punishing them, is how you’ll train them effectively.
3. Taking Care of the Dog
Children can be given a task that helps spread out the duties that need to be undertaken. For instance, one of your children could be in charge of feeding your dog, the other one could be in charge of walking him after school. Share in the responsibilities, and the dog will share his love equally. If your child wanted a dog of their own, however, you need to be understand that they possibly won’t be able to take care of it entirely and you will have to help; the dog cannot be poorly looked after.
4. How Your Child Will Benefit
Your child will benefit from the companionship, from the increased daily exercise, and most of all, from the life lessons. Taking care of another being is a huge amount of responsibility. The routine that they will have to keep for their new dog will also help them be more productive in all areas of their lives.
Encourage Them to Join After-School Activities
Your child should also join after-school activities. This means either joining a team or club that is organized through the school. Teamwork, training, and striving to do better for your team is a great way to be more responsible. The same applies to club activities where you are responsible for certain tasks and activities. When they do either of these activities out of school, they also benefit from making new friends.
Help Them Get a Job
Having an income of their own is not only incredibly liberating, it’s also a great way to teach them personal responsibility. That is why you need to help your teen get a job.
1. Kinds of Jobs Available
There are many jobs available for your teenager. These range from babysitting, to hosting, to waitressing, and more. To maximize the benefits, don’t give your teen a job, but help them seek employment elsewhere. That way they are accountable to someone else if they are late, or do a poor job, instead of to you.
2. How Your Child Will Benefit
Not only will having this job give make them more respectful and responsible, it can even help them get a job on campus once they’ve moved out.
Note: When they get a job, and make their own money, let them buy whatever they want. They need to realize on their own what is worthwhile and what isn’t, and learning this before they go to university or college will help them save.
Help Them Make a Big Payment
Cars are perfect investment choices for teenagers, but only if your teen already has a job. You can help them make the down payment, but they need to be able to pay for the monthly repayments on their own. That way, not only will they be more responsible with their money, they will also increase their credit score. This can be a huge help once they leave university and need to have a good credit score to make further big purchases.
Owning a vehicle of their own gives them the freedom to go where they please, but it also puts an extra level of personal responsibility on them. This isn’t your car they are driving, it is theirs, and they are working hard so that they can pay for it. That means they will hopefully drive more safely, and take more precautions than otherwise.
Let Them Be Independent
Personal responsibility is the best learning tool. That is why you need to let them be independent, and try new things. Helicopter parenting will only cause your child to be unsure of themselves, so take a step back. Your child needs to be confident in their own ability, and they need to know how to take care of themselves. The more capable and responsible they are by the time they move out, the better they will succeed in life.
Life lessons are taught to everyone. When parents put their children in scenarios that help them develop key skills, however, it means that these life lessons are taught early, and stick. A successful upbringing leaves your child prepared to take on the world. They are confident, have the skills, and know how to take care of and conduct themselves. You want your child to feel that they can do everything that they need to as an adult. That is why you need to let them learn, and even fail, on their own. Be their guide, and their support, but don’t do everything for them.