Every parent wants to have children who know their responsibilities. But the acquisition and development of this feeling; It can be realized when parents assign tasks appropriate to the age, gender and developmental level of the child, starting from early childhood. Starting from the age of two and a half, giving the child the opportunity to drink his soup on his own, even if it is messy, and directing him to collect his toys provides an encouraging and supportive environment for the child in terms of responsibility. As a result of such clear and age-appropriate guidance, the child; He acts by understanding what is expected of him and his self-confidence increases.
On the contrary, overprotective approaches; It prevents the child from becoming a self-sufficient, independent individual. Protecting the child or young person excessively, raising him under his wing, will do more harm than good. The seeds of self-esteem thrive when given responsibility.
Another wrong attitude is; expressing what is expected from the child in incomprehensible sentences that are not appropriate for his age, and waiting for the child to do it; And when he does not do it, it is to fall into an unjustified anger. The phrase “go quick and tidy your room” is a vague and undefined phrase for elementary school children. Instead, it would be more descriptive and correct to say “First fold the clothes on your bed and put them in the closet” and to say clearly what the next step is when they are finished. In this way, one of the steps to be taken in order to gain a sense of responsibility without harming the mental health of the child and without experiencing unnecessary anger is taken.
In order for the child to develop a sense of responsibility, it is necessary for the child to have the right to take some simple decisions appropriate for his age. In order to create this environment, it is necessary to give the child the opportunity to practice. A child who chooses his own clothes, paints the pictures he wants, eats his food without pressure, sees that his personality is respected and can express himself freely thinks “I am valuable”. The child’s feeling of importance and value leads him to new breakthroughs and achievements.
If the necessary attitudes are displayed for the development of the child’s problem coping skills, starting from the early childhood, the development of the sense of responsibility will also be supported. Considering the developmental period of the child, the child should be left alone with his own problems. For example, a conflict with his sibling or friend, forgetting or losing his homework or notebook. This approach is necessary to enable children to deal with problems and to grow up as individuals with self-confidence and developed problem-solving skills. Children of parents who are over-helpful in every difficulty they face are constantly dependent on others and insecure in themselves. Such people fail to discover their talents and never acquire age-appropriate responsibility skills.
