4 Ways to Instill a Sense of Responsibility in Children
You must have often heard the saying, “Dare to dare to be responsible,” right? Although the meaning of this saying is quite easy to understand, most adults are still negligent. Well, that is why a sense of responsibility must be instilled and trained from an early age. However, how to teach a sense of responsibility to children? Come on, see the following reviews.
How to train a sense of responsibility in children
Quoted from Parents, Kate Roberts, Ph.D., a psychologist from Boston, United States, argues that children often make mistakes because most of them are not yet able to control themselves – they don’t think about the risks before they act. However, they themselves do not realize that what they are doing is wrong. So, it is only natural that you often see children blaming other people or blaming their circumstances if they make mistakes.
In addition to not realizing their mistakes, shifting the blame on others is an innocent way for children to avoid punishment or its consequences. Now, to change a child’s mindset in cases like this, you have to teach him a sense of responsibility. The following are smart tips for parents to train their children to feel responsible for their actions.
1. Give an understanding of what responsibility is
If your child starts acting up but insists on not admitting wrongdoing, don’t immediately scold or yell at. When you are angry, your child will be less willing to listen to what you have to say. They may say something back or even cry. Of course this will be more difficult to deal with.
So, the steps you should do is face the child calmly. Explain what went wrong and ask him who should be responsible. This explanation of cause and effect helps children to understand what responsibility is.
If the child still doesn’t understand, make a simpler explanation. Then, emphasize what must be done to be responsible and remind the children not to repeat the same mistakes at another time, including not to blame others.
2. Teach children to solve problems
When children try to pass the blame on others, teach them to distinguish between reasons and explanations. Excuses are a person’s way of not admitting mistakes. This differs from explanation, which is meant to help others understand the situation they are in. Usually children have difficulty distinguishing them and it takes time to understand them.
When the child continues to reason, all you have to do is tell him to stop and refocus with “mistakes”. Ask again if there is anything the child can do to solve the problem. If the child has a mistake, then give the child several options. This method stimulates children to make several choices when faced with a problem, think about what risks will be faced, and finally be able to make the most appropriate decisions.
3. Introduce the child to various rules
The free time between you and your child is a good opportunity to explain the rules. Whether it’s the rules at home, at school, or in public places. If these rules are violated, then explain the consequences that the child must have. That way, children will follow the rules as best they can and be more careful in speaking or acting.
4. Tell the child that making mistakes is not always bad
Children sometimes feel scared and anxious when they make mistakes. They are afraid of being punished or scolded so they tend to blame others. To overcome this, show that everyone must have made mistakes and this is normal, as long as they do not repeat the same mistakes.
Even though there will be consequences, children can learn from these mistakes so they don’t repeat them again. Give compliments when you have the courage to admit and take responsibility for his actions.
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