Learning responsibility is an ever widening and lifelong process.
As thinking, acting human beings we have the ability to choose our response to events, people and circumstances. We do not become responsible when we mature; we mature when we become responsible.
Psychologists teach that the only reasons people are ever motivated or moved to action is to gain a reward or avoid a penalty. As you teach this principal to the children in your charge be sure to explain what they will gain or lose by the choices they make.
ME: I am in charge of those things that directly affect me as a person.
Examples are:
Grooming, nutrition, exercise, education, choosing friends, a mate or a career. My choices might irritate or disappoint others but the consequences will ultimately hurt only me.
YOU: My actions in this circle affect those I love and care about. I want you to like and approve of me, so I am motivated to do what will please you. I have a responsibility to those who work or live with me to do the things I say I will, accept blame when I am wrong, make restitution, be co-operative, care for my possessions and safeguard other people's resources. Consequences have a ripple effect on those around me and will affect my daily life.
US: The community within 10 miles of wherever I am standing determines us. Some people and organizations I know, some I don't know yet, but they are a part of my extended neighborhood. This is the place to practice random acts of kindness, courtesy and service. We are each the representative of the groups we belong to; family, teenagers, school, soccer team etc. The whole may be judged and influenced by our individual actions and role model. The reward may come later in life in the form of recommendations, job offers, networking and a stronger more vibrant community.
The Universe: I have a responsibility to the universal family of humankind to make the world a better place. I need to be a part of the solution of preserving the earth, eliminating bigotry, giving service, and treating others, as I would like to be treated. The Universe may never give me a tangible reward, but I will gain an inner reward of doing right and making good choices for the higher good of all. I recognize that I have a responsibility to not only have positive actions, but thoughts, words and intentions towards others and to act with dignity, respect and love. As parents and leaders we need to give children the opportunity to be responsible as early as possible. Teach the concept of a pause button in order to stop, think and choose before acting. Whenever they are allowed to have a voice and a choice, they will grow up knowing that they have the power to guide the outcome of their life and contribute to the well being of the group.
This handout? 2003 has been prepared by Judy H. Wright, Missoula, MT parent educator and author. You may have permission to make copies for other parents and teachers but the entire article, including the signature line, must be included. A complete list of parenting books, aids, workshops and a FREE ezine is available at www.artichokepress.com. To contact us, please write judywright@artichokepress.com or call 406-549-9813.
deep house cleaning Bannockburn ..Few things are more completely enjoyable than becoming a grandparent.... Read More
I am writing this from the beautiful mountains of Western... Read More
While on a recent trip to the grocery store, I... Read More
Angie was brought up by rigid, authoritarian parents who kept... Read More
Despite the potentially dangerous side-effects of Ritalin, public school authorities... Read More
Home-schooling removes children from public school. That alone makes home-schooling... Read More
To have reasonable expectations of our children is an important... Read More
My neighbours' kid impressed me the other day.I was busy... Read More
Chiladult? Whatever you call them, teenagers are a changin' and... Read More
Do you really want your child to enjoy playing with... Read More
Back in college, I wrote for a five-day-a-week, award-winning campus... Read More
Do your children have a McChildhood? Do they experience the... Read More
Life is funny.My twenty-year-old daughter, Melanie, has a her new... Read More
The distressed adolescent often has feelings of abandonment, emotional detachment,... Read More
Are you a professional?Notice how the questions differs from, "Do... Read More
The Real Dangers to Kids Online and How to Avoid... Read More
I recall somewhere in the recesses of my aging brain... Read More
Hope, excitement and anxiety all wrapped up in fresh haircuts... Read More
Much has been said about the "gifted child" but in... Read More
I was reading "A Modern Infant Armada", a humor column... Read More
Salon visits can be scary experiences for small children: They... Read More
Like anything else in life, there's a method to the... Read More
Most day cares are non-profit organizations that must operate within... Read More
There is a new stage of development for parents to... Read More
Self esteem in an important quality for all children to... Read More
kitchen deep cleaning Winnetka ..Is there a way to build a robot to help... Read More
There are moments in a parent's or grandparent's life, when... Read More
Puberty can be a difficult time for children. Not quite... Read More
Would you like your child to be the best that... Read More
One of the biggest milestones in our children's education is... Read More
The successful preschool idea behind many successful preschool learning centers... Read More
Does music need to be "dumbed-down" for kids? The answer... Read More
1. Make stronger connections among individuals and, therefore, creates a... Read More
Think back to your own childhood. Chances are, some of... Read More
Just the other day my oldest son asked:"Daddy, am I... Read More
Choosing to leave your child with a caregiver is one... Read More
"I wipe my baby's chin with my college diploma and... Read More
Being in a competitive world, the lowest qualification to secure... Read More
When I was pregnant, we knew that we had some... Read More
I hear from many parents that their child is stressed... Read More
ADHD comes in differenty forms, or types. What... Read More
Are men to blame for the divorce problem in this... Read More
Vouchers, which give tax money to parents to pay for... Read More
How do we deal with our seriously distressed children and... Read More
Do your children have a McChildhood? Do they experience the... Read More
What makes parenting so challenging at times? One widespread research... Read More
For many adults, reading a book or newspaper seems effortless.... Read More
One of the few decisions you'll make during pregnancy that... Read More
If you are currently homeschooling or considering homeschooling your child,... Read More
Is it hard to communicate with your teenager about issues... Read More
Parenting |