How to Be Responsible - Conclusion of HOW TO TEACH RESPONSIBILITY

Help your children  take responsibility for their mistakes.

BIBLE PRINCIPLE:  
"Listen to counsel and accept discipline, in order to become wise in your future.'- PROVERBS 19:20.

When your children make mistakes-for example, if your son or daughter accidentally damages another person's property-resist the urge to cover up what happened. Children can accept the consequences-in this case, apologizing and perhaps even making restitution.

Owning up to mistakes and failures teach your children

* to be honest and admit their errors

* to avoid blaming others

* to avoid making excuses

* to apologize, when appropriate

TRAIN NOW

Children who are taught to be responsible will be able to manage their life more effectively as adults

Teach by Example

* Am I industrious, organized, and punctual?

* Do my children see me working around the home?

* Do I acknowledge my mistakes, even apologizing when necessary?

What We Did

"If I was making dinner, the children helped from a very young age. If I was folding laundry, they folded some too.  If If I was dusting,they dusted. Work became fun for them.  They were happy just to be with me, doing what I was doing. That's how they learned to be responsible." - Laura.

"Once. I had our young son call a family friend and tell her he was sorry for being rude. Over the years he's had to apologize on numerous occasions for saying honest but unkind things, but now he has learned to apologize  freely when he makes a mistake."  Debra.

BENEFITS OF CONSEQUENCES

"Children make mistakes, and when they do, it's vital that parents remember that the educational benefits of consequences are a gift," writes educator Jessica Lahey in the Atlantic magazine. "Year after year, my 'best'students-the ones who are happiest and successful in their lives-are the students who were allowed to fail, held responsible for missteps. and challenged to be the best people  they could be in the face of their mistakes."

 Next time: The Value of Adult Guidance - WHAT DOES ADULT GUIDANCE INVOLVE?

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