How to Teach Responsibility | eHow.com

When children are young it is always easy to overlook teaching responsibility. Most parents feel that because the kids are still not quite ready, they must not be subjected to or bombarded with "too much responsibility and discipline". I have seen children grew-up lacking in responsibility . Unable to do things for themselves. Always waiting for someone to do even the simplest tasks for them instead. Children who have difficulty in making decisions, sometimes resulting to none. But good or bad,  issues need to be resolved. 

Growing up my parents made it a point to teach me how to handle responsibility. There were no chalk talk. It was required, demanded if  not downright commanded. Learning the hard way. That is how I call it. I was often asked to do tasks too old for me. Aside from the weekend routine of housework, my mother mandated that I  iron loads of my father's military uniforms. When I perform routine  marketing errands, I was required to bring home the right goods as I was instructed to buy. Otherwise, I go back and return. Even at the peril of being berated, if not  assailed by the  vendors.

I have always felt that I was my family's beast of burden. I had two younger brothers -- only 3 and 4 years younger. But if there was something to accomplish,  there was always me. I thought maybe, because I was the eldest. And the "smarter" one.  I have been used to running errands from bringing my father to the army hospital every time he had an asthma attack,   to talking with my brothers'  teachers, when  they missed school or if there were PTA meetings, and countless countless other tasks big and small. I did not enjoy most of them but the lessons learned will be with me until my dying days.

Now, why wasn't I able to do that very well  with my children?

Perhaps, I lacked the will. Perhaps I had the wrong notion that making go through the same things as I have experienced would not be good for them. And that they deserved better than what I had?

Now I know, there's not much wisdom in that.

In the process of rearing small children read these tips.

How to Teach Responsibility | eHow.com