Guiding Children Successfully Educational Guides
Program 4. Teaching Children Responsibility
1. Be an example (with reasonable allowances for being human).
It is common for us to make idle threats, and empty promises. They do not
build trust or encourage responsibility. Consider how well you do – and how
you might improve in each of the following areas (the group might share
stories to illustrate the points):
• Mean what we say. (Don’t make rules that we don’t
intend to enforce.)
• Take responsibility for our mistakes, i.e., be
willing to apologize and make amends
• Live our own sermons: Our actions are more powerful
than our words
2. Give them responsibility (and work with them).
Giving children responsibility for which they are not ready can be
counter-productive. Consider the following points:
• Give responsibilities that are appropriate for the
child’s age and development. Ask: “Is this something my child has
already done and know how to do?
• Let them make decisions (what to eat for breakfast,
what to wear, bedtime rituals, etc.)
• Let them be in charge of something
• Provide responsibilities
• Help them take their responsibilities seriously
using teaching and consequences
• Does each child have appropriate chores or
responsibilities?
• Be flexible. Allow changes in assignments as needed.
3. Encourage them to serve
What are some ways that each child can serve that fit his or her
interests and talents?
What project might you undertake jointly with each child or with the
whole family?
For background information and additional reading, see web units at
www.arfamilies.org .
Of particular relevance to this program are:
Helping Children Learn Responsibility;
Helping Children Learn to Respect Other People;
Teaching Values in You Family; and
Giving Children Choices.
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