As parents, you always dream of having an independent and responsible teenager. Someone that lends a helping hand with any household chores without being told and regularly calls to inform you when they hang out with a good group of friends. However, this is easier said than done. It can only happen if you have prepared your child to be independent and responsible enough since the early stages of their life. Which is why this article contains 7 tips for your child to be a responsible teenager.

As a parent, you should be dedicated to instilling a sense of responsibility in your child early on. You have to make sure that the things you teach to your child should be useful and should be given good importance. And while you don’t need your kid to be perfect, you need him to be responsible enough to think about any possible consequences of his actions.

The Importance of Nurturing Sense of Responsibility in Your Child

The sense of responsibility is part of the core values that are required to have a good life. It is very important for you, as a parent, to secure this sense of responsibility in your child while he’s still young. Otherwise, the attitude will be cultivated when he grows old.

A sense of responsibility can help you bring the best out of your child. It is one of the virtues that can make him more capable, mature, and responsible for taking charge of his life. And in many cases, it can also help in building an effective relationship with other people.

7 Tips for Your Child to Be a Responsible Teenager?

As mentioned in the introduction, teaching your children to be responsible is not an easy task. As adults, we struggle with this daily struggle. And while it can be overwhelming at times, you need to help your child become independent and responsible enough. Here are seven ways to help you do that:

1. Teaching Your Child to be Responsible at Home

If you want your young child to be responsible and independent, you have to start at home. When your child is still young, there are things that he needs to learn when it comes to being accountable for his actions – things like taking off his clothes before getting into the bath or brushing his teeth before he heads to bed. These are fundamental things that parents usually need to teach their little ones. Doing these things regularly will soon become a habit for your child.

2. Be a Good Role Model

It is an important aspect of preparing your child to be a responsible teenager. If your child sees you working hard every day and taking care of your responsibilities, chances are they will follow suit.

If you drink too much, chances are your child will want to follow suit because he thinks it is the ideal thing to do. However, if you show him by example that he should not engage in drinking and doing drugs, he will most likely see things differently.

3. Be Clear About Consequences

If your child does something wrong, you need to make sure that you are clear with the consequences if he does not change for the better. If he continues to be irresponsible, there will be certain consequences that will follow. These consequences should be explained beforehand so that your child understands what happens if he continues like this. For instance, if your child doesn’t do his work, he will not be able to go out with his friends the next day.

4. Don’t Give in too Easily

It is another mistake that many parents make. They give in to their children’s demands easily. We all want our kids to be contented and smile every day, but if you give children whatever they want whenever they ask, you are only setting yourself up for trouble. You’re teaching your child that he doesn’t have to work hard for something since you will give it to him anyway. 

For instance, if your little one asks for a smartphone or a computer at the end of the year. If you give in, your child will learn that he can get whatever he wants when he asks for it. And in many cases, this might lead to bad habits in the future. What you need to do instead is tell them to work hard to earn it, it means you can only buy it if they study hard, or read books a day. But don’t overdo it; rewards like these may cause children to depend on their drive with rewards. It is essential to talk to him and remind him why he needs to work hard and study.

5. Help Your Kid Learn Emotional Control

It is another important aspect of preparing your child to be a responsible teenager. If your child has a hard time controlling his emotion, he will likely face difficulties when he’s on his own. Your child may not be able to control himself and make the right decisions when the time comes.

If he can’t control his anger and frustration, he may end up hurting someone physically. He may even lose his temper and do something illegal like vandalizing public property or starting a fight in public. So you must teach your child to control his emotions before he’s on his own. For instance, you can teach him to be diplomatic when angry or deal with difficult situations more respectfully, like talking to the other person instead of picking a fight.

6. Teach Practical Life Skills

One clever way to prepare your child to be a responsible teenager is to teach them practical life skills that will come in handy when they are on their own. You can train your children to cook simple dishes, do some laundry, and clean up the house. These are things that are useful in any household and are something that your child will learn over time. In case you feel he cannot do basic tasks on his own, you can always give him a helping hand until he’s ready to take over.

7. Teaching Your Child the Need to Give Help

As you have already learned, it is not always easy to make your child responsible. And for this reason, you need to teach him the importance of giving help to other people. It shows how willing he is to assist others. It also creates a sense of responsibility among other people as well as your child. Encourage kids to participate in community activities such as taking care of an elderly neighbor or organizing an activity for children at the school where their friends are enrolled.

Final Thoughts

Consistency is vital when teaching your child to be responsible. In order to make it a habit, you need to work at it consistently. If you have been working on getting your child accountable for their actions, don’t stop when they have gotten the hang of it. Continue working with them and help them improve their behavior and become a better person.

As you have seen, being a responsible teenager isn’t easy. But by following these steps, you are one step closer to preparing your child to be a responsible teen. When this time comes for him, he will face any challenges that come his way.

Author bioI’m Andrea Gibbs Born, raised, and still living in New York. I’m a work-at-home mom with a background in business development, strategy, and social media marketing. I’m a blog contributor at Montessori Academy to motivate and educate other parents about how they can get their children ahead of the game in school.