by Vikki McMahon

Created on: March 10, 2009

Responsibility is a value that must be taught early and reinforced often. Toddlers are especially receptive to learning the skills needed to make responsible choices. What they need most to learn these skills is a good role model you.

There are so many ways to show your toddler what responsible behavior should look like. Give him choices everyday such as what food he would like to eat at a meal or what shirt to wear that day. Keep the choices between two different items, maybe three at the most. Let him make the occasional bad decision and follow it through to its consequence. If he wants to jump in the puddle with his shoes on, let him experience the wet feet that will follow. Make sure the ideas you present to him are not only age appropriate, but developmentally appropriate as well. And make a game out of certain tasks. Children learn the most when they are at play and their minds are open to absorbing new ideas.

Chores are another excellent way to introduce responsibility to your toddler. Have your toddler put her dirty clothes in the basket when she changes or sort her clothes from the clean laundry. She can easily be responsible for putting her own toys back where they belong when finished with them. Throwing trash, such as snack wrappers or paper, into the garbage pail is also easy for her to understand. Once your toddler is a little older, setting and clearing the table is a great way to get her involved in mealtime preparation. Just make sure the knives and hot food are already taken care of beforehand.

Personal hygiene is important for toddlers to master at a young age. Stress it as early as you can and it will become second nature to your child. Have a step stool in the bathroom to position in front of the sink and teach the proper way to brush teeth and wash hands. It may take time and a lot of patience and do-overs from you, but they will get the hang of it and feel proud for doing so.

Include your toddler in caring for a younger sibling or pet. Have him get you diapers or clean clothes for his baby brother or sister. If he is older, let him assist in feeding the baby. If you have a cat or a dog, let him fill the bowl with food, or accompany you when you take the dog for a walk. Let him come along on vet visits if possible. And by all means, let them play together if feasible with proper supervision.

In the end, it's up to a parent to instill a sense of responsibility in their child. Toddlers will mimic your behavior, so act how you would want them to act. Your actions will have the longest-lasting impression on their development.

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