Responsibility - 4.5.2020

Responsibility, as defined by Webster's Dictionary, is the state or fact of having a duty to deal with something or of having control over someone. Why would students need to be taught and assigned responsibility?

Research shows that children who have a high sense of personal responsibility are more likely to succeed in school, their present and future work place, and society at large when they eventually leave the home.

Individuals who have studied children and senses of personal responsibility have found that the best place to start instilling responsibility is in the home. This can look different from home to home, however, giving a child tasks that are appropriate for their age and gives them a sense of accomplishment once the task is completed can help build the characteristics as stated above.

Every Day Tasks

From ages 12 and on, children should have tasks that they are expected to complete every day. The most simple and important task that a child should have is to make their bed every morning. As an adult, we all know the tediousness behind it and my husband constantly makes the statement:

"What is the point in making our bed, when we are just going to sleep in it again tonight?"

Posing the task in a way of starting the day with an accomplishment reframes the subject. When you wake up in the morning, and you do the small task of pulling together and straightening your bed, you are starting the day with confidence that you can continue to accomplish things and make your day successful. Not only that, but when you come home and see your bed, you are ending the day by seeing the accomplishment that you achieved early in the morning.

Besides that, every day tasks could be as follows:

• Taking out the Garbage
• Walking the family pet/Feeding the family pet
• Checking the Mail
• Vacuum a certain room in the house
• Sweep the kitchen

Small tasks that focus on things the chid do every day is extremely important.

Weekly Tasks

Weekly tasks are things that children can do that are bigger tasks that should be accomplished not on an every day basis, but something weekly or a few times a week. This would be something that the child may alternate with siblings or chooses which day to accomplish it.

Having a larger task that a child can complete that is more work and may take more time not only teaches responsibility, but it can also teach time management, organization, work ethic, and many more essential skills to being a successful adult.

Weekly or every other day tasks could include:

• Helping with Dinner
• Doing the dishes
• Laundry
• Yardwork

These tasks should focus on things that the child has to concentrate on, plan a time for, and be ready to complete by the time it is expected to be done.

Responsibility and giving children tasks at the home are important to building the character of the person you want your child to be one day.