From Parent & Family August 2006:
When we teach our children about accountability and hold them accountable for their words and deeds, we're giving them a strong foundation in life. "We're teaching kids that what you do now is affecting you later," says Kelly Sutherland, elementary school principal. "It's not just in school, but in life."
Sutherland says being accountable applies to parents and educators as well as students. "We model how to be accountable," she says, "we hold them accountable for their work and other areas such as being honest and fair."
Here are some tips for making children accountable:
Establish expectations. If your child knows what is expected, it's easier to do what is right.
Cause and effect. Hold your child accountable for his or her actions by setting up specific rewards and punishments for various actions.
Don't "save" your children. Do not do something for your child just so he or she won't get in trouble.
Praise your child for a job well done when a chore is completed.
I am a parent of young children. I know how my mother raised me with consistency and boundries. I try to do the same for my children. They know if they do something they are not supposed to around me they WILL have consequences. I am always noticing parents around me. They don't always hold their children accountable for things they do. Maybe they are too tired to enforce rules. What ever the excuse may be, I am afraid for the generation of children being raised without boundries and healthy rules. I wonder if my children will be growing up with future criminals? What do you think?
Posted by: D2 | August 4, 2006 1:23 PM | Permalink to Comment