Teaching Kids To Be Responsible For Their Own Actions

Let us admit it, we parents develop a stuttering syndrome early in the morning the moment we see our kids rise up from a bed. We plead 10x - “Make your bed”, all the way to the breakfast table - “Eat your breakfast.” and while he’s still in half jammies, you hear a bus honking across the street and you started screaming - “Your school bus is here!” Yes, it’s a habit for most parents with pre-teens, and there are those who would find their day incomplete without going through this kind of routine as they start their day.

It's like a broken record falling on deaf ears. It's a vicious cycle repeating your orders, requests, and instructions to somebody when you say, "Obey your parents!" and they won't respond. Let's face it, we love to rub it in until they comply, and seeing their eyes rolling!

The more you repeat your instructions the fewer chances they will comply. One instruction is all they need, and if they don't comply, consequences will follow.

Yelling out to your kids whose attention is not on you is a waste.

Get your children to stop and pay attention to you. If they’re in the middle of doing something like watching TV or playing computer games, look at them straight in the eyes and be sure their attention is on you. By doing this, you are preparing them to be accountable and responsible for hearing and do whatever they’ve heard.

Keep holding your kids responsible.

Follow through on the consequences of their actions. You conditioned them to not do what you've asked, so don't give up. Stand firm and make it into a habit. It's tough love. It's a habit you have to develop. Definitely hard at first, but once the habit is developed then it's easier for us to keep doing it and it's more effective in getting your kids to do what you say the first time. Just saying it once should do the job.