Teaching Young Children Responsibility

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Carly Adames

By: Carly Adames

Early Childhood is an excellent time to teach your child responsibility in caring for your household and contributing to the family. Young children are used to having everything done for them. Giving your child appropriate responsibilities and/or completing a task together can instill confidence, independence and strengthen your family bond.

A key component of a well-managed preschool classroom is having “classroom jobs.” Children take ownership and full responsibility for these jobs, usually on a rotating weekly schedule, and take pride in completing them.

Some examples of classroom jobs preschool children fulfill are:
• Weather helper
• Door holder
• Snack helper (passing out napkins/plates)
• Lunch helper
• Dustpan holder (while teachers sweet)
• Clean-up inspector (makes sure classroom is clean after clean-up time)
• Line leader
• Caboose (stands at the end of the line and ensures all children walk in front and arrive to the destination)
• Energy conserver (in charge of turning off the lights whenever leaving the classroom)
• Pet attendant
• Librarian
• Nap time helper

Preschool classroom jobs allow children to be actively involved in their classroom and the needs of their peers. It gives them a sense of confidence, independence and community. Most children love having a job and take their job very seriously.

At home, giving your child(ren) jobs and certain responsibilities, appropriate for their age and development, can produce similar results and positively impact your child’s socioemotional growth and development.

Some examples of developmentally appropriate responsibilities for preschoolers may include:
• Energy conserver (in charge of turning off the lights when the family is leaving your residence)
• Feeding a pet or refilling their water
• Cleaning his/her room
• Setting the table (forks and napkins; cups/plates if not too heavy and not ceramic/glass)
• Putting utensils away in a drawer after they’re washed
• Wipe out the sink after brushing teeth
• Help mom or dad put away laundry (ie put all their socks in the sock drawer)
• Clean up spills with a rag or paper towel
• Recycling monitor – ensure plastic bottles, cans and other recyclable items are put in proper receptacles
• Dress his/herself
• Shoe organizer (if your family takes off shoes by the entrance)

It is important to teach and integrate these responsibilities early on in life so children view them as a part of their daily routine – not an additional task adults are handing them. Be sure to allow your child the opportunity for trial and error when learning a new task, and give them time to brainstorm ideas to solve problems.

Parents should make it a positive, fun experience – not simply as some chore that has to be done. Sing a song with your child while working together or share stories from the day’s activities. It is also recommended to positively reinforce your child with specific praise when they complete a task, i.e. “Johnny, you did a great job putting out all of the napkins and forks by everyone’s plate!”

Giving your child responsibilities from a young age also ensures your child is down to earth and does not have a sense of entitlement. It can instill in them a strong work ethic and determination to complete a task.
Most of all, it gives your family time to be together and strengthen the family bond while helping each other. Allowing your child the opportunity to help in the household together instills teamwork in the family and a strong, united family foundation.

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