6 Practical Tips to Actually Raise Responsible Children

As a mom, one of your life goals is to raise awesome, responsible children. But being a mom gets hectic sometimes.

During these times, keeping your focus on what matters most may feel challenging.

However, you can still ensure that your kids become adults who show integrity and responsibility.

Parenting is the most challenging job you’ll ever have. But the rewards are incredible when you see that you raise responsible children.

Embark on your own journey to collect as much knowledge about parenting as you can.

These techniques will help you raise your children to be responsible, caring adults.

Tips to Raise Responsible Children

Be patient

Especially during the trying times remember to be patient.  Treat your little ones with the respect and care they so richly deserve.

No matter how trying your children can be, remind yourself they work in progress.  And will they make many mistakes along the way.

They’re just trying to figure out this thing we call, “life.”

If you can consistently show tact, care, and patience toward your children, you’ll see that doing so is like giving sunshine, water, and fertilizer to your garden.

Reinforce the positive

Everyone hopes that at some point, they’ll be noticed and recognized for doing something good.  Your kids are no different.

Offer praise and positive reinforcement to your children whenever they perform a task, skill, or job well.

Children, especially, need to hear compliments and praise.  Praise is a reward that we all seek.  And for kids, it is a reward that they desire daily.

Whenever you can catch your child doing a behavior or task well give them a compliment.

Making statements like, “good job” or “wow, that was wonderful” while looking your child in the eye will help him learn the importance of performing a job well.

In turn, your child will become responsible and confident.

Let them learn natural consequences

Allow your child to experience the natural consequences of their behavioral choices as long as those outcomes aren’t harmful.

Rather than debating with a child, sometimes you have the luxury of sitting back and allowing a natural result to occur.

I am not sure if it’s the fact that I have a second child now, but there have been times that my youngest experience the natural result instead of trying to save him every time.  As a result, I find that my youngest learn things a lot quicker on what to do and what not to do.

Automatic consequences teach powerful lessons about the importance of follow-through and taking responsibility for one’s own behavior.

For example, if your child doesn’t want to eat breakfast, they’ll experience the natural consequences of becoming hungry in an hour or two and will have to wait for lunch to eat.

As a result, future episodes of skipping breakfast will most likely be reduced and a sense of taking responsibility for eating habits will be gained.

Give clear, simple instructions

One important thing to practice while you raise responsible children is giving clear instructions.

When giving your little one instructions, make sure that you are clear and simple.

First, make your expectations clear.  Then, demonstrate what you’ve asked the child to do so they can see how the behavior is properly done.

Next, allow your child to try the behavior.  Praise all efforts, no matter how small.

Avoid criticism or expecting perfection. Setting your standards overly high can cause your child to be resistant to your requests in the future.

Don’t forget to smile and be positive in your approach.  Remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day.

Stay close by when young children are learning and practicing new behaviors to offer guidance and build responsibility in your child.

Notice when your children do tasks without you asking

When your child does a task without you asking, make sure to give recognition, or even a reward, for these times.

Allow your child to take ownership of his or her own behavior.

Send the message that, “Now that you’ve gotten your job done, it’s time to have some fun!”

Saying, “You did such a good job putting away the dishes, I think we should go get some ice cream,” conveys that when you’re responsible, good things follow.

Avoid getting your children “off the hook” if they’ve misbehaved at school

You may want to take the fall to protect your kids, but doing so prevents them from learning the consequences of their actions.

If your child misbehaves at school refrain from showing anger and disappointment.

Instead, provide encouraging words about their completing whatever consequence the school issues. Mention that you have confidence they’ll get through the whole situation and go on to have a great school year.

Experiencing the joys of parenting contributes to an incredibly rich life. But when you raise responsible children it requires real effort and consistency.

Use these suggestions and incorporate the ones that work for you and child to develop your master parenting plan.

I am sure that you’ll be on your way toward raising your children to be responsible, caring adults.

This post is a part of the series 31 Days of Parenting Tips for Busy Moms With Young Kids.  Each day throughout the series I am discussing a different topic regarding parenting young kids. I’d love for you to follow along and share this series with moms who may need some support or just to hear that they aren’t alone in their journey of raising young kids.

Find all of the posts in one place on the series homepage: 31 Days of Parenting Tips for Busy Moms With Young Kids